Remember the party that was going to be obliterated?

[Workingman]

Well according to it, it is now mainstream and electable.

That might only be a bit of spin, but it has got Theresa's geezers in all of a lather.

The mere thought that there might be an acorn of truth in the matter has got the nasty party's supporters out in their droves with their crude insults and personal attacks.

How edifying is it to know that we live in such an adult democracy?

I might stop voting and just leave the result to those who can curse the loudest... it could be a hung parliament.

[Suff]

I had this discussion with my parents weeks ago. Essentially Labour are going to win because the voters don't have the stamina to see anything through to a conclusion.

The end result is policy whiplash.

Labour is going to buy back PFI is it? Really? On what? Borrowed money on which they have to pay interest. Great our interest on Browns borrowing is nearly the whole cost of the NHS, way to go, why not borrow more. Ditto Students. Ditto just about every other thing they are intending to do.

And what is their resolution to the money gap? Yep, punish the businesses and discourage investment and growth.

I wish the people luck with that one. But they are free to choose exactly what they want. Just not to moan about it afterwards if it all goes to hell.

After all Labour have a great track record so far. Half the manifesto has been reneged on already and they don't even have the excuse of being in power. I'm sure they'll prove themselves more willing to buy votes and less trustworthy as each year goes on. Hopefully the Tories will go the full 5 years and allow Corbyn and his team to spin themselves down the plughole. But I'm sure the voters will still come out and vote for them anyway.

[cromwell]

There is nastiness on both sides. The jew hatred that is rampant in the Labour party (disguised as anti Zionism) is shocking and largely ignored by the TV. Plus Emma Dent Coad's comments on the Royal Family, which are both childish and nasty.

It's the age of politics that we are living in; the age of nastiness, lack of tolerance of the views of others and the death of shame in public life. I wish it wasn't like this but imo it is.

As for the next election it's probably a way off yet; plus the Blairites in Labour will be the targets of momentum activists. Plenty of scope for a civil war there I think.

[miasmum]

At the time of the election I felt I had probably wasted my vote by voting my usual way, LibDem, but now I am glad I did. It might have been wasted but at least I can hold my hands up from this whole sorry saga

[Workingman]

Suff, you have largely missed my point. It is not about a particular party's policies etc, it is about that way opponents treat them.

The LibDems mainly got away with it probably because they are now seen as irrelevant. OK so Vince Cable got a few patronising pats on the head when he claimed to be PM material, but that was because he is "old" and has lost a few marbles - bless him.

Labour and the Tories are treated very differently. They are condemned using the crudest and most insulting of language and vitriolic personal attacks. These attacks do not appear to come from paid up members of oppositions, but from 'ordinary' folk who just do not like.

This week it is Labour. Next up will be the Conservatives and the cycle will begin again.

I have no problem with people arguing or debating the pros and cons of any party, but when it comes down to the 'winners' being the ones who can shout loudest and be the most insulting then the country is in a right mess. If the current trend continues then I do not wan t to be part of it and will opt out.

[Suff]

Suff, you have largely missed my point. It is not about a particular party's policies etc, it is about that way opponents treat them.

Personally I thought it was around two things.

Voter lethargy and focus
Parties increasingly inhabiting each others policies.

Leaving invective and ire as one of the few tools left to differentiate. I.e. "You can't vote for them even if they have most of the same policies as us because they're 'Nasty'"

As for Labour, nobody needs to be nasty to them, they're doing it to themselves in an internal struggle for power, thinly veiled by disingenuous manifesto's and blatant attempts to buy votes no matter the cost.

UKIP has been in for more of this nastiness than any other party because of the threat they constitute.

The Lib Dems, on the other hand, are technically irrelevant right now. So why bother?

Mainly, voters can’t be bothered to stay focused on the real issues, so they float around between the parties refusing to look under the lid and just going with the face on the surface. Hence the increasingly antagonistic rhetoric to try and get people to actually stop and look.

Not that it’s working.

[Workingman]

Obviously we cannot force people to read, listen and comprehend, but at least there was a time when they would at least try.

Nowadays it's headline to 'load of bollocks' to the party is full if *ists, *phobes and *philes who you would not trust to look after your pet for ten minutes. Anybody who tries to put up a cogent view is shouted down as the echo chamber opens for business. And these come from supporters of all parties, though I suspect they are not paid-up members just the hangers-on,

It is not good for politics and it is not good for democracy, but we are where we are.

[TheOstrich]

Good for democracy? How about this for democracy in action, Comrade ....

Momentum are opening a Gillingham & Shaftesbury branch, according to our local rag. Anyone is able to attend, but only Labour Party members can elect officers. Once established, it will "organise meetings for political discussion" with a view to make "Gillingham and Shaftesbury part of a constituency with a Labour MP."

And this in totally Tory territory ......

I must brush up on "The Red Flag"!

[Suff]

Come the revolution brother!

Remember that one?

If you ask kids today they are likely to say "Does that come on Xbox or PlayStation?".

Interesting how society changes isn't it?