UK Politics Thread (Part 3)

I would wager that we’ve taken the same train. when we left London heading north, we took a train from Euston to Whaley Bridge. It was a beautiful area to travel through.

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If that is so, so be it. Then people will vote who they want to. There is absolutely no need to guilt trip people to vote Labour.

My point is if we don’t let people vote who they really want to, you all would never know what’s wrong isn’t it? Lib Dems and Greens might not make it this election or next, but if people are aligned with them and vote them, who knows how that might change the country for the next generation? Right now, the way I see the 2 parties being described, the next generation either gets shit or a diarrhea.

It’s not guilt tripping. People are free to vote for which ever candidate/ party they wish to on the ballot - just as people are free to highlight the potential impact from doing so.

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You say fair enough, but I seen posts here if you don’t vote Labour or choose to withhold the vote , think about the people who will continue to suffer under Conservatives. If that is not guilt tripping, I don’t know what is.

I do see where you are coming from. I am now conflicted. Its like choosing betwen two devils :slightly_frowning_face: :upside_down_face:
I want to do the right thing and have a conscience, you know what I mean.

Ealing borough has three MPs, I think all Labour at the moment and quite strong hold. It has been Conservative in the past in at least one constituency. My MP is stepping down. He was useless, hardly voted on bills and only turned up for a photo opportunity.

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Right now, I need a kitkat, onto Crewe!

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Love the live travel blog, the tension is killing me though Maria

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We just left Crewe onto my destination Chester. My hosts, young newlyweds couple who have been badgering me to come and visit so I said alright.

They are going to show me around Chester. They love it. It is not far from Liverpool as well. They go there alot, they are big foodie people.
Two carriages are going to be separated and first 5 trains are all heading to Holyhead with some lovely stops. I will miss the lovely Welsh scenery.

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It’s not guilt tripping, it’s just poorly written because Labour is not the main challenger in every constituency and so for many of us, voting for Lib Dem (or another party) may be the better option if we don’t wish to see another Conservative government elected this year.

@Mascot clarifies his point by highlighting it is because of the feature of our first past the post voting system that narrows the party/ candidate you can vote for in your constituency and have it impact who actually gets elected.

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Arrived! :nerd_face: quaint station.
There are alot of Scousers l living and working here.
It looks quite posh as well.

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Call it whatever you want. It’s the reality of a first past the post system.

Indeed. I should have been clear that for most people, it’s a choice between Labour and Tory. There are some places where Liberal Democrats are the best chance of ousting a Tory, and I’d do the same.

If you live in a constituency where Labour are the closest challenger (and you probably do) then a vote for the Greens or Lib Dems is just a wasted vote - unless you genuinely think the Tory’s are better?

It’s pointing out the consequences of a particular action. That’s not guilt tripping. How can there be any political debate if you can’t express why you think voting one way is preferable to voting another?

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I should be clear about my position. I really respect Diane Abbott, and I certainly have a huge amount of sympathy for the shit she has to endure. Her politics are also similar to my politics. I’ve met her a few times, and she exudes genuine warmth and compassion.

But, she is prone to these gaffes. In the aftermath of the way the party was dragged over the coals on the antisemitism issue (much of it unfairly) no MP should be opining on whether Jewish People suffer ‘real’ racism. It is just a no-go area. Keep your fucking counsel on the matter Diane. Starmer, who was trying to put the issue behind the party to make it electable again, must have been tearing his hair out.

Oh and by the way, Diane is right that Jewish people weren’t sold into slavery in their millions. I do however recall that quote a lot were murdered in the Holocaust. There is a gross insensitivity to her comments.

Same goes for Corbyn. He should have accepted the findings of the independent commission into antisemitism. Had he done so, he would now be standing as a Labour MP. Instead he will stand as an independent, split the vote, and Islington can look forward to a Conservative MP that nobody wants.

To the remainder of your points, I can’t come up with a better response than you yourself posted here.

https://x.com/MarinaPurkiss/status/1796234244853055881?t=E2wzj4YRxkiLtyzYxYT8Ew&s=09

If you are in a constituency where it will be between Labour and Tory, who do want running the country?

I work for an Environment NGO and my biggest concern is climate change. If I vote green I will have flushed my small vote down the toilet. My choice is between a party that has pledged a Clean Energy investment vehicle and still has a commitment to net zero by 2030, or the party that wants to cut all the green crap. Is Labour going far enough on environmental issues? Of course not. But if the only two parties that can win the election, they are much the better option.

I appreciate the frustration with Starmer, and I also disagree with how he is handling a lot of the internal stuff, but the sad reality is that if you let it stop you voting for Labour, you potentially open the door to something much, much worse.

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I heard Tice the other day say the only thing I have ever agreed with him on.

‘Nigel Farage is a frog-faced cunt who smells like stale piss and baccy.’

Just kidding, he was advocating for PR.

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It’s true about Nigel, though.

I really can’t stand the idea that the Tories and Labour are just the same. It’s lazy, so incorrect and, most importantly, exactly what your billionaire betters who would prefer the conservatives remain in power to funnel more of our money to them want you to think.

But let’s go with it for a second. Let’s imagine from a policy point of view there is little difference between the Tory’s and Labour. Two Cheeks of the Same Arse, as the twat dressed as a cat would say.

It’s still a choice between those two party’s. The only difference is that one of them has spent the last 14 years in power and fucked everything up. They unleashed austerity on the nation, made a pigs ear of covid, destroyed the economy by funnelling shitloads of money to people who simply don’t need it, rode a coach and horses through legal norms, and fatally undermined our democracy.

The other one didn’t.

Which one are you voting for?

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Spare a thought for Nigel today. He’ll be deep in counsel with his best friend Donald.

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Cheshire Oaks…great for food n shopping…

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While all this navel gazing is going on with with labour supporters, quietly the conservatives are rubbing their hands.

Are labour voters too morally anchored for this age?