The Dictatorship of the Etonariat

[muzzer]

It’s so depressing. Large parts of the electorate don’t care. Horrid to consider but it’s true. Then consider the effect of the first past the post system. Add in that Tory and Labour will flip flop over a 5 week campaign and there will surely be some quite disgusting xenophobia deployed on both sides, and who knows what the result will be. I would exhort everyone to knock on doors to get the vote out, however that vote may go, but my MP has, literally, 80% of the vote so I will not be on the stump personally and it would be churlish at the very least to ask others to do so.

[teamsaint]

It’s so depressing. Large parts of the electorate don’t care. Horrid to consider but it’s true. Then consider the effect of the first past the post system. Add in that Tory and Labour will flip flop over a 5 week campaign and there will surely be some quite disgusting xenophobia deployed on both sides, and who knows what the result will be. I would exhort everyone to knock on doors to get the vote out, however that vote may go, but my MP has, literally, 80% of the vote so I will not be on the stump personally and it would be churlish at the very least to ask others to do so.

If there is xenophobia deployed , it will all be from the right.

[DracoM]

And let's take a guess about Ken Clarke at Rushcliffe - Tory, brutally de-whipped, HUGELY popular, experienced, Remainer par excellence, but supposing he stands as an Independent? Can you see him NOT winning?
And my guess is that this could well be replicated in a number of constituencies, don't you?

[muzzer]

If there is xenophobia deployed , it will all be from the right.

I disagree. But let’s see, of course.

[muzzer]

And let's take a guess about Ken Clarke at Rushcliffe - Tory, brutally de-whipped, HUGELY popular, experienced, Remainer par excellence, but supposing he stands as an Independent? Can you see him NOT winning?
And my guess is that this could well be replicated in a number of constituencies, don't you?

He’s already said he’s not standing again I believe, but that could change in the circs.

[teamsaint]

I disagree. But let’s see, of course.

Where and how would you expect xenophobia manifest itself from the left?

[muzzer]

I consider the anti semitism in the Labour Party a form of xenophobia fwiw.

[teamsaint]

I consider the anti semitism in the Labour Party a form of xenophobia fwiw.

Fair enough. I would imagine it will be kept well under wraps for the next few weeks though except for old stuff dug out by the tory social media machine.
Also fwiw, it really is beyond belief that the tories can make hay on this issue. But they are showing their true colours right now. Very unpleasant stuff going on.

[muzzer]

Indeed. I think that one effect of the hollowed out middle and increased polarity we now have that no one wanted to discuss or contemplate was quite how vile the extremities are when manifested.

[Joseph K]

Worth reading regarding antisemitism...

https://anotherangryvoice.blogspot.com/2018/03/what-mainstream-media-dont-want-you-to.html

[teamsaint]

Worth reading regarding antisemitism...

https://anotherangryvoice.blogspot.c...nt-you-to.html

Excellent link, thanks JK.

[Richard Barrett]

Worth reading regarding antisemitism...

Indeed. It's amazing how many people still come out with the line that Corbyn and/or the party are "riddled with antisemitism" when this has been so comprehensively disproved.

[MrGongGong]

If there is xenophobia deployed , it will all be from the right.

I don't buy that
I don't buy the "antisemtism" smear
BUT there are plenty of folks on the "left" of politics who's rabid opposition to the EU couldn't be seen as anything but xenophobic

[MrGongGong]

That was then. Campaign slogan noticed on FB: "His own brother doesn't trust him - why should you?"

I think folks need to be a bit careful when doing the "sibing" thing to discredit party leaders

https://www.desmog.co.uk/piers-corbyn

[CGR]

The lib dems might win a lot more seats, in fact thats a certainty. But they are going to be miles behind the big two in seats. The best they can hope for is to be the junior partner in a coalition, or the largest of a group of junior partners.

There are a lot of lessons to be learned from all this, and good may yet come of it. Whatever happens, we as a nation really need to learn to respect others’ beliefs and opinions, because, like our own, they are just that. Beliefs, not absolute truths. And we have seen too clearly what happens when we don’t.

( IMO , if they get their act together, the lib dems , Labour and / or the Scots have a good chance of forming a government, especially if they give the tories a couple of weeks more rope).

Respecting other peoples political opinions is what normal civilised people do. The problem is with the political zealots who have a religious-like belief.

My Mum used to say "Never discuss religion or politics with friends. You are likely to lose them". Wise words.