Has the Labour Party chosen Hampstead over Hartlepool?
Has the Labour Party chosen Hampstead over Hartlepool? It seems like the Labour Party now represents the metropolitan liberal elite, over its traditional working class voters.
I am NW3 born and bred. We don't all support Labour, you know.
Original post by Reality Check
I am NW3 born and bred. We don't all support Labour, you know.
Fair enough.
Original post by gazza_of_cyzicus
Has the Labour Party chosen Hampstead over Hartlepool? It seems like the Labour Party now represents the metropolitan liberal elite, over its traditional working class voters.
It’s not even a question it’s clear they have been giving little more than a fig leaf for their traditional voters since 1994
Not sure it's consciously chosen anything... but Labour is currently a party that reflects the views of those who control it - financially comfortable, liberal-leaning, generally urban dwellers. People who have lives, experiences and priorities vastly different to the people seen as the 'traditional Labour voter'.
I don't think any major party stands for 'working class people' (don't really agree with the idea of 'class' but it's what gets used so I'll use it too) these days. They all have the same approach - "Shh, we'll tell you what's good for you, now go and vote for me."
I don't think any major party stands for 'working class people' (don't really agree with the idea of 'class' but it's what gets used so I'll use it too) these days. They all have the same approach - "Shh, we'll tell you what's good for you, now go and vote for me."
Original post by Reality Check
I am NW3 born and bred. We don't all support Labour, you know.
NW3 is the postcode given for 'Shitsville' in the Wildhearts track 'Greetings from Shitsville'
there was a woman on a youtube video who gave a great description - she described the majority of current labor voters as middle-class torries who want to feel good about themselves.
I think that's broadly accurate - they have a core of very passionate left-wing activists who, while I disagree with some of their stances, are at least consistant and know what they want. But then outside of that they traded the working class base, that used to hold up the party, with a base split in half... half middle class professionals who are really pretty centerist, and actually probably align more with May then Corbyn on a blind test... but want to feel good, want to follow whats trendy and what twitter and celebrities are telling them is moral/just etc. Then the second half of their voter base is immigrant/migrant voters, who vote for labour mostly out of self-interest, because a labour government will be far better to them, and treat them far nicer.
Neither of those two groups hugely support the really radical social leftism though. The middle class group are a bit uncomfortable with it, but don't want to be labelled racist/sexist or be out of touch with whats in trend... but the minority group are often far further out of touch with it. You have whole groups of minority voters who are entirely upposed to a lot of the progressive agenda - gay marriage, trans rights, feminism, etc. But vote labour. What remains of their workign class base is similar to the minority base in this regard.
Which is why the whole thing is wierd to me.. you have a highly progressive core that's pushing some really radical things, but I don't see the support for it on the ground. Yet the messed up way our political system works, means that this mix of people end up pushing towards this progressive agenda, even if its not really in line with how they think.
(you could write an indeitcal post about the messed up and confused voter base of the tory party.. both are not in line with their voters or the public, thanks to how twister our political system has gotten itself in recent times)
I think that's broadly accurate - they have a core of very passionate left-wing activists who, while I disagree with some of their stances, are at least consistant and know what they want. But then outside of that they traded the working class base, that used to hold up the party, with a base split in half... half middle class professionals who are really pretty centerist, and actually probably align more with May then Corbyn on a blind test... but want to feel good, want to follow whats trendy and what twitter and celebrities are telling them is moral/just etc. Then the second half of their voter base is immigrant/migrant voters, who vote for labour mostly out of self-interest, because a labour government will be far better to them, and treat them far nicer.
Neither of those two groups hugely support the really radical social leftism though. The middle class group are a bit uncomfortable with it, but don't want to be labelled racist/sexist or be out of touch with whats in trend... but the minority group are often far further out of touch with it. You have whole groups of minority voters who are entirely upposed to a lot of the progressive agenda - gay marriage, trans rights, feminism, etc. But vote labour. What remains of their workign class base is similar to the minority base in this regard.
Which is why the whole thing is wierd to me.. you have a highly progressive core that's pushing some really radical things, but I don't see the support for it on the ground. Yet the messed up way our political system works, means that this mix of people end up pushing towards this progressive agenda, even if its not really in line with how they think.
(you could write an indeitcal post about the messed up and confused voter base of the tory party.. both are not in line with their voters or the public, thanks to how twister our political system has gotten itself in recent times)
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