How Have You Changed Politically In The Past 10 Years?

[Loki]

The Tory party has its fair share of loons, without a doubt. But there are plenty of intelligent, well-informed people who vote for, or work for, the Tories who genuinely believe that market forces and private investment, and minimal central government interference, are the best way to run a country.

 

Problem is, the Labour party basically believes that too, even though a lot of its natural lefty supporters don't.

 

In the US, the Republican party is an insanely broad church that stretches from the centre all the way too the fascist right. I don't think they even pretend that all Republicans are united and believe the same set of policies any more. US politics is really different, voting against your whip and having independent views is much more the norm.

[GalaxyV.2]

MPs are also not getting the pay increase. In many ways if you had better paid MPs they may be more effective in their jobs. Would stop some of the nonsense with second/third/fourth jobs.

[Magnum]

MPs are also not getting the pay increase. In many ways if you had better paid MPs they may be more effective in their jobs. Would stop some of the nonsense with second/third/fourth jobs.

 

I think what drives much of the widespread opposition to it is the perception that being an MP is a ride on a gravy train that, for many of them, involves little real work - much of which has to do with that latter point there. And obviously the other reason it's so toxic in PR terms at the moment is because they're forcing public sector workers to take real-terms pay cuts on the grounds that there's no money in the pot, and yet at the same time finding that money and more to increase their own salaries. Whatever way you look at it, actual education and healthcare professionals taking pay freezes while incompetent, under-qualified worms like Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt get pay rises is utterly perverse.

 

In answer to the overall question, I've found myself becoming both more emphatically left-wing and, contrarily, more apathetic about politics in general. The sheer unpleasantness of having to live under a Tory government (as someone who was too young to remember Thatcher in her malevolent pomp) has galvanised my opposition to the right, but I increasingly wonder what the point is - Question Time makes me want to put a boot through the TV almost as much as Geordie Shore these days, as every episode reminds you how easily the British public (even those who are arsed enough about politics to attend a Question Time taping) are brainwashed by simplistic soundbites. And, as others have said, the increasing awareness of lack of political choice contributes to the jadedness. Ed Miliband has made a fucking pig's ear of what should have been fairly straightforward opposition, culminating in this nonsense with the unions, but I'll vote for him nonetheless because I think Cameron and co. are equally incompetent, but with an added layer of malice. I'm worried for the result of the election now, though, and I couldn't stomach another term of these smug cunts, so if the Tories get in again I think I'll pull an anti-Phil Collins and leave the country. At least Europe's clueless right-wing despots are a bit funnier and more flamboyant than the plummy-voiced tit we're stuck with.

[GalaxyV.2]

I think what drives much of the widespread opposition to it is the perception that being an MP is a ride on a gravy train that, for many of them, involves little real work - much of which has to do with that latter point there. And obviously the other reason it's so toxic in PR terms at the moment is because they're forcing public sector workers to take real-terms pay cuts on the grounds that there's no money in the pot, and yet at the same time finding that money and more to increase their own salaries. Whatever way you look at it, actual education and healthcare professionals taking pay freezes while incompetent, under-qualified worms like Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt get pay rises is utterly perverse.

 

I agree to a point, and I'm not necessarily advocating it, but I think you summed it up in your first sentence, it's a perception. You also are talking about Ministers, which I agree with. But Ministers already are on a higher wage, some sort of freeze on a ministers wage would be advisable. But I'll say this, being an MP isn't just a walk in the park, and some of these guys are doing good work. We can't keep letting certain people tar them all the time. In all professions there are toerags, politicians are no different.

[David]

I've found that Spanish politics is infinitely more engaging than British politics. For example, in a small town called Valle de Abdalajis, around 70km from where I live, the town's water supply dried up for the 8th year in a row.

 

Mayor Victor Castillo, furious that damage to the town

[SiMania]

David, are you on holiday or have you emigrated?