A lot of folk, myself included, were always brought up to vote Labour. They were always the best option we had. I've been a member since 16, but even I doubt that now.
Most of this area was brought up to vote Labour, our Parents and Grandparents were brought up on Labour, it was drilled into us to vote Labour and I was especially told, if you Vote Tory your selling your soul to beelzebub himself and was always told if I vote Tory all my ancestors would rise from the grave, haunt me so they can snuff it all over again. I remember my great granny saying about Thatcher in her words 'I dont condone terrorism, but I wish the IRA had of blown her up in Brighton' this is a woman who hated catholics as well and would take offence if you called her a communist even though she thought the sun shone out of Arthur Scargills arse.
I wasn't old enough to vote in 97, but whenever I speak to people about it, I always hear that there was a real buzz in the air in the mid-90s. The thought of a Labour government getting in and the Tories finally being kicked out of the door. Blair and New Labour had won a lot of people over. Even those that had even declared never to vote Labour again. In the end though? I do feel we massively progressed as a nation, but at what cost has this come?
I remember the era well, not only for the political changes, New Labour took on a life of it's own and there was never going to be any other result than a New Labour Landslide in 1997, Tony Blair came along at the right time, and at that time Tony Blair appealed to milllions of us after 18 years and 4 consecutive Tory governments, he played the charming fella game, David Cameron did the same a few years ago, trying to appeal to people who usually would not vote for him, was it Cameron who came out with something like 'hug-a-hoodie' and the whole 'call me Dave' thing, my dad would say of Tony Blair 'He may be wearing tie, but deep down he is a tory'. I was also ineligible to vote as I was only a few weeks shy of my 15th and I remember election that year for all the wrong reasons.
You could argue that this coalition is hitting people harder than Thatcher ever did. But even with that being said, there is no buzz about Labour any more. They have not come up with a single credible policy since 2010. Miliband asked at the TUC if he is for or against austerity - couldn't give a straight answer.
I think his brother would have been a better leader, David had held quite important ministerial posts and I think a lot of people saw him as a more prominsing leader than Ed and I think many saw him as a natural choice for the leadership. As for the coalition hitting us harder than the Tatcherite Gov't, I dont know, I cannot really remember, I was too young, but I think Maggie ruined more lives especially during 84-85 when Thatcher saw through the promise she made in the 70's to 'destroy the NUM after the Heath government was brought down in about '72(another story for another day
) so on that part, I dont think Dave and his puppy dog bitch have been too bad on that front.
One I thing I do think though, it may just be that Nick Clegg holds all the cards again after the next election, he wants another coalition, but he would say that, it is the only way for him and his party to have any kind of power. Also, something that would not surprise me is UKIP getting close to the Lib Dems in the number of votes, and it may be UKIP find themselves in the 'Nick Clegg kingmaker role next time round' that probably wont happen but UKIP have made massive gains recently and they may be a credible threat to Clegg and his band of merry bitches.
It makes me laugh sometimes when people ask me who I vote or I ask people who they vote, if people decide to tell conversation normally goes like this
'Who did you vote for'
'Labour'
'Why do you vote Labour'
'Dont know, guess it has been drilled into me to vote them'
'So you vote Labour because that is all you have been told to do'
'I guess'
'Is that not like a dictatorship where you are told what is expected and told what box to cross on your ballot paper'
'Good point'
Where I live I am in the Easington Constituency and I could put my dog up for election for the Labour Party and she would by a huge majority lol
