UK General Election thread

[I AM MOBIUS]

So, are you a monarchist?

Do you believe in God?

Are you a climate change denier?

Are you a sexist?

Are you homophobic?

Oh wait, it could be that you're an Irish outlaw...?

That last one would actually make the most sense of why you vote Tory...

[I AM MOBIUS]

Even that's not true, Conservatives are generally quite happy to refer to the Tory party.

They're just too dumb or pig-headed to realise or care that most everyone else tends to use it as a negative depiction of the conservatives...

[kentonio]

So, are you a monarchist?

Yep, for a series of quite pragmatic reasons.

Do you believe in God?

Don't be ridiculous, I'm English.

Are you a climate change denier?

Of course not, and no MP from either party (51% of Tories and 30% of Labour MP's) would ever get my vote.

Are you a sexist?

Just remind me which is the only party to have had a female Prime Minister?

Are you homophobic?

Nope, which is why I was proud of the Tories for supporting gay marriage as policy.

Oh wait, it could be that you're an Irish outlaw...?

That last one would actually make the most sense of why you vote Tory...

Awww, you got me.

[I AM MOBIUS]

Yep, for a series of quite pragmatic reasons.



Don't be ridiculous, I'm English.



Of course not, and no MP from either party (51% of Tories and 30% of Labour MP's) would ever get my vote.



Just remind me which is the only party to have had a female Prime Minister?



Nope, which is why I was proud of the Tories for supporting gay marriage as policy.



Awww, you got me.

But those are all things that the tories have stood for, or still stand for. They are the backwards party, resistant to change - that's why they're called conservatives, because they are dinosaurs stuck in the past...

That's why more people who believe in God; are climate change deniers; are anti Europe; who want the NHS privatised; who are sexist; who are homophobic, support the tories compared to the other parties.

Though even then, they can't stand in the way of progress...

Also, the only reason gay marriage got through is because of the Liberal Democrats. It would have never happened in a solely tory government, and you know it.

[kentonio]

But those are all things that the tories have stood for, or still stand for. They are the backwards party, resistant to change - that's why they're called conservatives, because they are dinosaurs stuck in the past...

Glad to see you didn't go into the conversation with any immovable prejudices.

Also, the only reason gay marriage got through is because of the Liberal Democrats. It would have never happened in a solely tory government, and you know it.

You'd be surprised.

That's why more people who believe in God; are climate change deniers; are anti Europe; who want the NHS privatised; who are sexist; who are homophobic, support the tories compared to the other parties.

Actually a rather vast part of the working class Old Labour party are rampantly homophobic, sexist and racist. I should know, I grew up around them.

Though even then, they can't stand in the way of progress...

I've fallen out with the Tory party lately, but the idea that they're a party that prevents progress is laughable. Whatever you think to Thatcher and the party back then, they reshaped Britain from a broken industrial ****heap into the thriving country we have today. They made plenty of mistakes along the way but life for normal British people is a damn sight better today than it was in the 70's. It's just time now to turn the meter of socialism/capitalism back the other way and ensure that working people are properly protected and things we should fight to the death to protect like the NHS are actually defended.

I actually find the tired old anti-Tory crap tiresome, because its so infantile. There are times when our country needs a government of the left and times when it needs one from the right. Everything is about trying to maintain a healthy balance, and if all you can do is squeal about one side being evil then you should just set fire to your vote right now because you don't deserve to keep it. A Britain with a permanent Labour government would be a debt ridden mess, just like one with a permanent Tory government would be a corporate dominated hellhole.

[C0ckney]

Whatever you think to Thatcher and the party back then, they reshaped Britain from a broken industrial ****heap into the thriving country we have today.

there's a television programme called "the call centre" that is set in a swansea call centre. one of my friends plays a minor part in it; i was suffered to watch an episode last year. it's as awful as one would expect, but the opening sequence was surprisingly (and unintentionally) profound and has stayed with me: "employing over one million people, call centres are the new factories of great britain". rarely have such true words been spoken. it's thatcher’s legacy in a single line.

They made plenty of mistakes along the way but life for normal British people is a damn sight better today than it was in the 70's.

this is one of those things that people say, but that entirely depends on how one looks at it and which people one is talking about. for example, if we are talking about the richest 25% then life is certainly better for them now, but if we are talking about the poorest 25% then it is unquestionably worse.

[I AM MOBIUS]

Glad to see you didn't go into the conversation with any immovable prejudices.

Well, that is basically the definition of conservatism, most of their 'progress' is being dragged kicking and screaming into the real world - changing only when they realise their position is becoming to unpopular to remain electable. It reminds me a bit of the upheaval going through the CoE.

You'd be surprised.

Er, no: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...iage-vote.html

Two-thirds of Tory MPs could refuse to back gay marriage

Cameron is basically a political opportunist - a tory Tony Blair if you will...

The tory party is intrinsically homophobic. The only reason the vote succeeded was that it was pushed by their liberal coalition partners.

Actually a rather vast part of the working class Old Labour party are rampantly homophobic, sexist and racist. I should know, I grew up around them.

Yeah, and **** Labour too. Another bunch of backwards thinking traditionalist morons...

I've fallen out with the Tory party lately, but the idea that they're a party that prevents progress is laughable. Whatever you think to Thatcher and the party back then, they reshaped Britain from a broken industrial ****heap into the thriving country we have today. They made plenty of mistakes along the way but life for normal British people is a damn sight better today than it was in the 70's.

Oh God, all this drivel again!

We've been over that bull**** countless times in different threads!

North Sea oil saved the UK...

It's just time now to turn the meter of socialism/capitalism back the other way and ensure that working people are properly protected and things we should fight to the death to protect like the NHS are actually defended.

Yes, because Thatcher ****ed them over so badly in the first place and New Labour continued the job!

Again, ever since Thatcher, the NHS has always been at risk - if she - or any other tory govt thought they could get away with it, it would have been privatised long ago! Are you that stupid not to realise that!?

I actually find the tired old anti-Tory crap tiresome, because its so infantile. There are times when our country needs a government of the left and times when it needs one from the right. Everything is about trying to maintain a healthy balance

Don't you see the utter contradiction there!? It's breathtaking! On the one hand you're calling for lurches to the left or right - and then on the other hand you're calling for a healthy balance!!?

Surely the healthy balance is a third way: centrist politics.

And if all you can do is squeal about one side being evil then you should just set fire to your vote right now because you don't deserve to keep it.

I agree.

A Britain with a permanent Labour government would be a debt ridden mess, just like one with a permanent Tory government would be a corporate dominated hellhole.

Again agreed.

And that is why the only possible sensible vote to cast is Liberal Democrat.

[C0ckney]

ah yes the liberal democrats, who won't cut as much as the tories and won't borrow as much as labour. it's a shame that the liberals, who've had some good ideas in the past, have been reduced to trying to squeeze themselves between almost identical alternatives.

[Hauldren Collider]

I'm struggling to understand how working in a call center is worse than working in a coal mine or a factory.

If moving Britain's working population from dangerous industrial factories and mines to comfortable air-conditioned high rise office buildings is Thatcher's legacy, well, there's another plus for her.

[C0ckney]

have you ever worked in a factory or a call centre?

[Hauldren Collider]

Have you?



I've worked in an office building. Working in a call center is not a bad job. It's not a glamorous job, but it pays decently and it doesn't have any risk of physical injury.

Man, people will complain about anything. An economy shifts from blue-collar resource extraction and unskilled manual labor to white-collar services and that's bad? Jesus christ.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Those type of white collar services generally tend to pay less and have less benefits.

[Bereta_Eder]

No call centers are sh!t.
The more the width between poor and rich widens the more democracy suffers.
Policies of social cohesion are what is needed, not modern day slave ships.

[Hauldren Collider]

That's bull****. An increasing gap between the poorest and the richest is a natural and essential consequence of overall increase in wealth. When everyone lives in mud huts, the richest man is not much richer than the poorest man. But the poorest of the poor are vastly richer than the poorest of the poor would be in our hypothetical mudhut society. And anyway I'm pretty sure Vonnegut covered this in Harrison Bergeron already.

[kentonio]

there's a television programme called "the call centre" that is set in a swansea call centre. one of my friends plays a minor part in it; i was suffered to watch an episode last year. it's as awful as one would expect, but the opening sequence was surprisingly (and unintentionally) profound and has stayed with me: "employing over one million people, call centres are the new factories of great britain". rarely have such true words been spoken. it's thatcher’s legacy in a single line.

So? So working people sit in an office on the phone all day instead of standing at a production line all day. I'm willing to give you good odds that there's a lot less workplace injuries now.

this is one of those things that people say, but that entirely depends on how one looks at it and which people one is talking about. for example, if we are talking about the richest 25% then life is certainly better for them now, but if we are talking about the poorest 25% then it is unquestionably worse.

No it isn't unquestionable worse. The 70's was a time when food was a genuine worry for a lot of people, and it wasn't in the slightest bit uncommon for couples to meet up and share food to reduce living costs. Please explain how the poorest peoples lives have supposedly become worse, because I'm not seeing it.