I have not had such a violent reaction to a blog this year as to “this blogger’s a reluctant Tory“. It clearly deserves this.
The Tories aren’t going away, as Prospect quipped – they are the never ending Tory.
They may be immortal but they are not immutable and there are people within that party who both want change and are open to new ideas.
I know this also to be the case with other parties, the Labour party has views on pensions much closer to mine, I would not want to change them.
So if there is such a thing as a tactical dissenter, that is me. I would rather not lie about my intentions and I would like people to know that when I put an X against the execrable Mark Field, conservative candidate for City and Westminster, it will be with the greatest of reluctance.
I may be saying “good-bye” to many good friendships as I press “publish” on this one. Here goes….
Foot note
– more positively – read this! http://www.itv.com/news/2017-06-07/real-politics-is-back-out-with-the-bland-easy-choices/
Henry. Why would you do that. If you disagree with a policy – you should not be voting for it. I am so disgusted with the ‘lot of them’ and cannot put my name to any of their bleatings!
Peter D Beattie
Peter. We are lucky to have that choice. In some countries you are legally obliged to vote or get fined if you do not. Abrogation is also wrong. Better to vote for the least lothesome than not at all. You can then have the satisfaction of either saying I told you so in the pub or bemoaning the fact of who got in. Henry at least he is willing to put pen to paper but does not deserve vitriol for doing so from some quarters.
There is nothing like a Tory crying wolf…its pity full – there’s nothing like a wolf in sheep’s clothing either.. you go and vote away – your colours are nailed to a disgusting mast – a mast of reaction that will lead to more deaths of the disabled and the death of our NHS
Thanks Colin – i think you can call me a wolf but I’ve never had any sheep’s clothing! Transparent about these things – as you are! If the Conservatives get in , I will fight for the NHS and for good pensions and for all who need care! No one has a monopoly on good!
Henry. You can still do that but you do not have to vote for something you do not believe in!
Adrian. You have completely lost my point. ALL the manifestos available in my area are LOATHSOME for one reason or other! NOT IN MY NAME please!
Peter, I did not lose your point but it seems you are ignoring mine..
Adrian. I have not ignored your point, but I do not live in ‘other countries’ having authoritarian policies leaving little for the individual to control their existence! Why in this country do we ‘have to cite’ what other countries do. That is their concern not ours and we should not have policies of ‘meddling in other countries ways of living’. Please concentrate on what happens here – not what other peoples do!
Peter, I think it is a shame you do not register your vote, even if that vote is a spoiled vote. What happened in this country is that no women were allowed to vote until after World War 1, and until the 1800s only landed gentry were given the vote. People fought for hundreds of years in this country to be given the opportunity to vote and to have the chance to have a say in what happens. A spoiled vote would give you the chance to register your lack of approval for the parties, a no vote shows you can’t be bothered to turn up. Well said Adrian.
Brian. I completely disagree with what you say. I have been completely ‘disenfranchised’ as the scramble to get candidates to apply gave no chance for anyone to see ‘manifestos’ in time meant ‘a commitment to a party’ before ‘the event’. If the content of these is in any way unacceptable it gave no chance of anyone applying as an alternative candidate! For example what happened to ‘independents and UKIP ‘ the later are apparently supportive of the government repressive policies by not offering in areas that are Conservative!. So why vote for something that obviously unacceptable.
I don’t think you read my blog. I have registered my vote at 7.30 – St Brides – London EC4. I did not spoil my ballot paper. As soon as I posted the paper I felt bad
Henry I was replying to Peter not you. Whilst I would never vote for someone or some party I did not fundamentally agree with at least you voted. And to be fair i don’t know many people who would agree 100% with every policy contained in any manifesto.
Peter I try to respect other people’s views so shall refrain from making further comments. Other than to say that I have read my reply to you and cannot see any relationship between what I wrote and your subsequent reply. Good luck to you.
Henry. How are you feeling now, it’s looking as though you have ‘backed the wrong filly’. What a silly runner she is, with luck her personal agenda will be ‘down the drain’! Anyway early yet and I am going to bed for tomorrow could be another day in politics?
The Democratic Unionist Party now look like the Tories preferred coalition partners. The DUP, which is the biggest Unionist (ie pro-UK) party in Northern Ireland, are often treated as though they are just the same as the other Unionist party they have essentially replaced – the Ulster Unionists.
The DUP are another thing entirely. They have strong historical links with Loyalist paramilitary groups. Specifically, the terrorist group Ulster Resistance was founded by a collection of people who went on to be prominent DUP politicians.
For the Tories to end an election campaign which they spent attacking Corbyn for his alleged links to former Northern Irish terrorists by going into coalition with a party founded by former Northern Irish terrorists would be a deep irony.
Brilliant! That is quite an irony!!!