Why is the Tory party ahead of Labour in the polls?

[Ally]

I'd be interested to hear why so many people have switched back to conservative from labour recently.

 

I can certainly see why many (including myself) have started to resent the current labour government; the Iraq war, continued "shoulder to shoulder" support of the Bush administration, "reform" of schools / NHS (namely private finance initiatives in public sector services) and Blair’s apparent refusal to listen to anyone but his spin doctors. Not to mention the constant battling with the chancellor and the damaging uncertainly regarding the timescale of his reign.

 

What I don’t get is why people think the Tory party will be an improvement. Thatcher was notoriously close to Regan during the 80s, and the Tories (until Blair) have always seen the republicans as their closest ideological allies. The Tories still support the war in Iraq (it’s difficult to view any change in stance as anything more than cynical short-term political manoeuvring) and in terms of looking after the NHS and schools the Tories will be even more pro-private sector than the current administration.

 

Personally I’m rather hoping against hope that we’ll see a return to centre-left politics when Gordon Brown takes over, with an emphasis on policy over spin and reluctance to be seen as Bush’s poodle. I certainly won’t hold my breath though. In fact, the only way I can see myself voting labour again would be to prevent the Tories getting in, which is a pretty sad state of affairs.

 

Anyway, like I said I’d be interested to hear what everyone else thinks about this topic, so fire away!

[Ghostrider]

Same old story I suspect, Labour have had the helm for a while and folks are getting pretty tired and bored of the same old faces in the same old places, up to the same old shenanigans, and are en masse feeling in the mood to see different faces in the same old places at least.

 

When it comes to a bottom line there is really is so little fundamentally different between a Labour Government and a Conservative one these days, it matters little what party colours they wave at the polls, only the slighty different twist individual players have on the same spin sets any one apart from the other. Ask yourself, what have Labour stopped doing during the last 9 years, that the Tories were doing in the early 90's, and what have Labour commenced doing in the same period, that you couldn't easily believe the Tories would also have done had they continued in power. There's not much on either list as far as i can make out.

 

Were this the plot for a novel, the Liberal Democrats would now be rising as White Knights from the self made morass of mediocrity that is Tory-Labour, but they're not, they're as bad Tory-Labour themselves. Different faces in the same old places is the only real opportunity the electorate has to alter anything, it rattles a few cages for a year or so before they too slip in to complacency.

 

Yes, I'm a total political cynic, I have never voted and probably never will, as I believe, as regards the UK for the meantime at least, it matters not who's fat ass fills the seats of power. No sooner have they gotten it comfortable on that expensive leather bound plush surface, than we're back to the same old same as before.

[Twerto]

its all about the 8 - 12 year cycle... nothing ever changes we all get on with life.. and in the background some people decide weather we will be rich or poor : shrug :

[Evil Inky]

Given that Labour and the Tories are virtually indistinguishable, I'd be prepared to vote Conservative to minimise Labour's majority. As a die-hard lefty, that's a painful admission, but would Tony have been able to push through dangerous nonsense like the ID Cards Bill if we had a few more Tory MPs, and a few less New Labour ones ?

[Sam]

it amases me why anyone would forget what it was like under the torries - i would never vote for them. what short memories voters all have

[niceday]

I am not sure that there is a significant general shift to the Conservative Party from former Labour voters concerned about the subjects you mentioned. I think the ebbing away of support on the basis of these issues is more likely to be to (1) the Lib Dems for some people (2) for others (including me) not voting for any party and engagement in issue politics - of which Stop the War march was the most conspicious example.

 

Unfortunately, our voting system means that a few thousand swing voters in marginal constituencies are far too influential in determining the agendas of the main parties. It is this group that is being targetted by Cameron with his 'compassionate conservatism' designed to make these people feel better about voting Conservative again - no more 'nasty party'.

[JustMe]

Let it not be forgotten that Tony Blair managed to take the labour party from being the left wing party that the centerist majority of voters were afraid of to "new labour" which did really well in getting people to vote for them.

 

Now we have labour showing signs of lurching to the left....perhaps too far to the left for many voters while David Cameron heads up a tory party that that is moving a bit left....towards the centre ground that voters will feel comfortable with.

 

Why the lib dems do not make a breakthrough every time the existing government falls out of favour is a mystery. Perhaps it is just that the voters who switch from labour to tory do not want to risk voting for the lib dems in case they let the outgoing party stay in power.

[Ally]

Let it not be forgotten that Tony Blair managed to take the labour party from being the left wing party that the centerist majority of voters were afraid of to "new labour" which did really well in getting people to vote for them. .

 

I'd argue that John Smith did most of the ground work for making labour electable, combined with a rather novel campaign in which labour focused on what they'd do in Government, rather than trying to rubbish the Tories. Blair's promise not to raise income tax is probably what swung it for much of middle England. That and the fact that the conservatives had completely run out of ideas and looked practically bored of being in government.

 

Now we have labour showing signs of lurching to the left....perhaps too far to the left for many voters while David Cameron heads up a tory party that that is moving a bit left....towards the centre ground that voters will feel comfortable with.

 

I don't see any obvious indicator that there's about to be a return to centre-left politics. However, I think the twin bogey men of massive taxation and union control have been pretty much vanquished, which means that a centre left agenda need not be something those earning a good wage should necessarily be afraid of.

 

Why the lib dems do not make a breakthrough every time the existing government falls out of favour is a mystery. Perhaps it is just that the voters who switch from labour to Tory do not want to risk voting for the lib dems in case they let the outgoing party stay in power.

 

Maybe it's just the general perception that people have about the liberals, ie that they've become a reactionary party that seem willing to sell-out at the faintest snifter of power, as demonstrated (some have argued) by their ineffectual shared role in the Scottish parliament?

[Distortio]

i wonder how much of this perceived swing was due to the massive wave of bad press new labour got just prior to the elections (i can't help but wonder how all those stories came out at once, i was almost expecting a "blair in baby eating shocker" story to complete the set). perhaps in the backlash of all that and the iraq thing, and blair's smug face wearing out its welcome the tories picked up the votes of the knee-jerk reaction crowd who didn't quite consider themselves nazi enough to vote bnp. and of course cameron took coke once so he's in touch with modern britain... i just don't think ming offered any kind of alternative, just another grey man in a suit. if charles kennedy was still at the helm i'm sure the lib-dems would have done much better.

[Ally]

that's a good point - sometimes these elections are a way for the voter to show their disdain for the government rather than an indicator of how they'll do in the general election, which is still some years off.

 

Cameron seems to have really turned it around for the tories though...

[Jimmy Jimson]

Cameron seems to have really turned it around for the tories though...

 

I don't think so really. He doesn't come across particularly well, though better than his predecessors obviously, and I think most of the losses in local elections can be attributed to a huge wave of negative publicity for the government and the fact that they are in government, as even relatively popular governments tend to get a bit of a bashing during mid-term local elections.

[JAStewart]

http://www.davethechameleon.com

[Atomic]

There is definitely a ridiulous state of affairs if we look at British Politics in terms of Party positions.

 

Without a doubt left-centre-right migration (and back) has been going on for years as the previous posts stated, so that the electorate doesn't have a clear left or right Party choice any more. The main parties have become more indistinguishable than ever.

 

What is dangerously happening as a result of this is that the ennui that has affected the mass population in the past (low turn-out rates in previous Elections because of the conception of Politics as boring) is now spreading to the rest of the country and turning off once-active Political voters from voting at all (as previously stated).

 

I would like to make one clear point: our vote is not our only political voice.

 

We are, believe it or not, as citizens of the UK, among the most powerful influencers of change on this earth. Take a look at the news, and think about the freedom we have compared to the majority of nations. If you have a bank account, you are among the richest 1% of the world population. 8O

 

Use your pound. If you disagree with the unfair Trade Laws following the Make Poverty History Campaign, choose to buy Fair Trade products - coffee, tea, chocolate! Think of how much kids are sweating in squalor for Mars, Nestle and Tetley! It tastes the same but you are one of the few folk in the world who can say no I don't want to do that, I want to do this! The Co-op is choc-full (sorry!) of Fair Trade stuff so you're keeping local folk in a job too!

 

There are growing restrictions on our Civil Liberties in the UK but while we still have the avenues to speak up, let's use them.

 

If you know a Bill is being proposed in Parliament and you have a view, tell your MP and MSP!

 

Write to Alastair Carmichael MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

or email him at carmichaela@parliament.uk or even phone him! His website and details are here: http://www.alistaircarmichael.org.uk

 

For Scottish Executive issues contact your MSP Tavish Scott - email him at Tavish.Scott.msp@scottish.parliament.uk His official website is here: http://www.tavishscott.com/

 

You guys are obviously braally able to sheeks on a computer - rattle off an email if you care about something. We do still have (officially) a Democracy, so your speech is still free - something folks in Myanmar, Korea, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, China, you name it are laying their lives on the line to try and achieve everyday.

 

They cannot speak up as freely as wis, so while we can, let's not let that false sense of powerless stop wis.......speak up.

[Tom]

Well labour, regardless of Brown or Blair, has that incredibly strong centralising urge that is certainly no good for Shetland.

 

And of course Shetland has been magical LibDem land for ever and ever.

[ChristopherWilliamThomson]

You guys are obviously braally able to sheeks on a computer - rattle off an email if you care about something. We do still have (officially) a Democracy, so your speech is still free -

 

Emails?! You have to be kidding. Instantly disposable mail, at the touch of a button?

 

Adam Rickett (yes, Adam Rickett) was on Sky news the other day trying to explain this subject. He said simply, "Labour want to help people, while the Conservatives want to help people to help themselves."

 

Personally, that sold the Conservatives to me. Subtextually this means that the Conservatives do not really give a balls about famillies, students, single parents etc. Why should they? If people have an easy time of it all they do is rot, sitting in front of their televisions with their microwave meals. Even the masses of people who have found fitness and health are lost puppies, and the reason is simple. They do not have to do anything. Labour are rotting the core of the UK, simply because they do not govern. People need to be governed, they need the dominant/submissive relationship.

 

I could destroy my life today; quit uni, go on a major bender, trash my flat, stab somoebody in the leg, stab another person in the shoulder, rape a few girls, blow up the Royal Concert Hall... My point is; the goverment will pick up the pieces. In days gone by, if you did not work towards making a living (in other words, surviving), you were stuffed. Without this motivation people are utterly useless, to themselves and everyone around them. Here lies the major problem in our society, and I damn sure well hope the Conservatives make moves to solve it, though I know they will not.

 

...

 

Back to emails. Emails are completely useless. Unless a person wants to read an email they will trash it. Politicians will only read what they want to read.

 

We need to ask ourselves; Why don't we care enough to go out and really try and make a difference? What happened to protest? Why are we so numb that protest is like a silly cliche to us? Why is the biggest protest we can make sitting on our arses and sending useless emails?

 

Something is wrong here.