We have been hearing a lot about this lately. How to win elections. And the answer could not be simpler: give the electorate what they want.
How often do we hear the condemnations from the Left, who never fail to tell us we are the nasty party, as they demand we tear down statues at pace and apologise to everyone we have apparently ever offended since the year dot.
While that may sound like nice and decent British values, have we actually paused for a moment, taken a deep breath and asked ourselves one important question: are the things we shout about from the rooftops on social media, actually the same things the British electorate want or care about?
The answer, more often than not, is no. The Left are so deeply immersed in their convictions of what they consider to be right or wrong, they forget to consult the people that count - the great British public; the very same people who every so often make their feelings known at the ballot boxes.
The reality of what is happening in Britain right now, has never been clearer than during the run-up to the elections. Listening to what people have to say on the doorstep, and I mean really listening, not politely nodding and telling the electorate what you believe they should be thinking or feeling, has never been more insightful or important. Vast numbers of people are quite simply not in the least bit interested in petty party politicking. In fact, they abhor it. Nitpicking and back-biting is something they all too often have to deal with in their own daily lives, so they certainly do not need to hear it from our opposing politicians, who spoon-feed it to them on almost an everyday basis. For most, the Prime Minister's wallpaper was of no interest to them; frankly, they are more concerned with their own decor. Not surprisingly, their concerns and worries relate far more to the running of the country; Covid recovery, our economy, housing, education, jobs, the NHS, services, infrastructure - and very importantly it would seem, crime and immigration, which is a huge issue to many British people, but one they feel reluctant to raise for fear of being falsely labelled a racist. But these are the things that matter to British people, no matter how much you choose to think they care more about pulling down statues from a bygone age, and to which they have no connection whatsoever. Many people lead good and respectful lives, but they do so in the here and now. What I am hearing is, let's not rewrite history, but educate and learn from it. You can not right the wrongs of the past, you can only learn from them. That is a more common opinion that anyone might think.
It has been eleven years since Bigotgate, but Gordon Brown was wrong to call Gillian Duffy a bigot then and he is still wrong after all these years. Calling a member of the public a bigot instead of listening to her worries and concerns about Britain, was hardly the mark of a good Prime Minister. And it seems the more aggressive Leftist politics becomes, the less likely people are to vote for it. This might explain why Wales fared better with the Leftist vote. Welsh Labour politics is noticeably milder than its English version, and although the Conservatives gained more seats this time, Welsh Labour will once again be forming a new government after twenty two years of Labour rule in Wales.
This mounting frustration I am picking up on is heady and potent. As one lady explained to me, being 'woke' in 2021, is doing more harm than good. Thinking in terms of its literal sense, you are only ever properly addressing social injustices if everyone is happy with the outcome. There is no point in pleasing one section of society, if the rest become unhappy because of it. Where is the justice in that?
Brits need to be heard, not silenced. After all, they are the ones giving you your platform, so it is not wise to upset them.
I think the lady may well find many share her sentiments.
Comments