Hate’s a strong word but when you consider that many (including me) voted last Thursday to ‘Keep the Tories out’ there must be something wrong.
It’s also quite amazing to hear from the Labour party that yesterday alone they officially gained 4211 new members (Ten Thousand overall since Friday)
Some of these people would have been like me, and had voted tactically, others will be liberally minded people who felt that a vote for the Liberal Democrats would be a vote for a change away from the Tories and Labour.
During the election campaign we saw a number of Tory election posters vandalised (like the image above) and groups on social networking sites appear with the sole intention to share a hate for the Conservatives.
But this still doesn’t explain why so many truly hate the Tories.
One reason was highlighted in Friday’s edition of the Daily Mail, when it was suggested that Conservative candidate David Gold wasn’t elected in Eltham because: “The ‘traditional mindsets’ of voters in the largely working- class London constituency made it ‘not the greatest place to pick an openly gay candidate.”
Granted this is a line printed in a traditionally right wing paper, but as someone who had the choice of voting for David Gold, I can tell you that if Scarlett Johansson had stood for the Tory party, I still wouldn’t have voted for them. (No matter how beautiful Scarlett may be).
The point for this example is the suggestion that the ‘working class’ have ‘traditional mindsets’ i.e. are homophobic.
I might not be working class, but I know an awful lot of people who are, and the ‘traditional mindset’ isn’t homophobic.
But this suggestion is a great example of why there is contempt towards the Tories, it’s this idea of ‘we know how to represent you people’ and collectively we turn around and say, ‘you people???’
There’s always been a firm belief amongst people like myself (and other liberals, call us bigoted against the right) that the Tories look out for themselves, make the rich richer, the poor poorer and generally believe a) they deserve more than everyone else and b) second class citizens exist in those on benefits, ethnic minorities, women and homosexuals. (If you disagree, tell me how many of these backgrounds are represented in the cabinet)
I admit, my passion against the Tories is pretty fierce and I’ve only used one example to illustrate my point, however I welcome anyone who disagrees with my opinions to comment.
Hopefully I’ll be proven wrong, and the coalition will be a phenomenal success.
However, with both our new Prime Minister and Deputy PM talking relentlessly about change, I’m reminded of an old quote from Theodore Roosevelt which says: “A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward.”
Clark Hogan-Taylor
3 years ago
The hatred felt for the Tories, certainly amongst people my age (mid 20s), is most often inherited from their parents. It is a phobia, inasmuch as it is completely irrational, given they don’t remember the previous two Tory governments having been only 10ish years old when Blair came to power.
As an ex-politics student I was and often still am subjected to the most extraordinary outpourings of fanatical anti-Tory zealotry. I have no qualms with those who disagree with actual policy, but to corner someone at, for example, a party, and say things not dissimilar to those above – they’re all out for themselves, they hate the poor, and gays, and just want to make life better for rich people, why are you one of these people? – is at best incredibly rude, but mostly just inexcusably ignorant. It is lazy, uninformed and received opinion. That’s something we are all guilty of no doubt, but I for one would not dream of giving someone a hard time for believing in something about which I actually know nothing.
Clearly you recognise that there is something bizarrely irrational about people’s hatred for them, hence you choosing it as a subject. You ask how many ethnic minorities, people on benefits, homosexuals and women there are in the cabinet (as if this is somehow evidence that the Tories hate all these people. I don’t think there are any people with beards in cabinet. Do the Tories therefore hate all people with beards?).
There are four women in the cabinet, same number as in Brown’s. None are on benefits for obvious reasons, although you might challenge that with reference to the expenses system. I don’t know how many cabinet ministers are gay. I think it’s highly questionable to suggest that a gay MP would better represent gay people. Think about it.
Since you mention it, the first MP to come out was a Conservative: Alan Duncan.
There aren’t enough ethnic minority candidates in the Commons, never mind the front bench. There isn’t a single BME Liberal Democrat. How do you feel about them now? Perhaps you voted for them. Also, would you prefer it if the Tories had put what few BME Mps they have in the cabinet simply because they weren’t white? How might that have made those people feel?
Far too long a comment but I feel quite strongly about this unhealthy political phobia. I think it needs tackling head on. Thanks for raising it in the first place.