Wednesday 11 December 2019

Shy Labour Voters?

In previous elections pollsters have bemoaned the 'shy Tory' - the respondent who is so fearful of being judged as a cruel and heartless bastard by an anonymous pollster, or their spouses, workmates and friends, that they lie about their intention of voting Conservative, skewing the poll figures in Labour's favour.  But in the privacy of the polling booth, these scruples vanish and with Satanic glee, legions of voters up and down the country put a monstrous X beside the name of the Conservative candidate, thus winning the election for that party.

Of so the pollsters would have it.  I've never really bought into the idea, myself.  But I am wondering if - given the stubborn refusal of the polls to do what I think they should be doing and narrow, damnit, narrow - if we are seeing the opposite phenomenon.  Or opposite phenomena, as rough beast shambles into view in two forms.

On the one hand, the brazen Brexiteer.  The years since the referendum have embolden and validated some Conservative voters.  People who would once have kept their admiration for Nigel Farage and hankering for blue passports very quiet because it was not considered smart or respectable no longer care a cuss.  They are out and proud, strutting down the high street in their Union Jack suits, brandishing their copies of the Daily Mail and proclaiming anyone different a traitor or - worse - an elitist.

The only shy Tories these days are the One Nation Conservatives, who are feeling a bit excluded from their own parties and toying with the idea of casting a vote for nice Jo Swinson.

On the otherhand, I think the mantle of shyness has been passed to potential Labour voters. Given potential they are being told they are voting for an anti-Semitic, Marxist, sandwich stealing, terrorist loving, Cenotaph dancing, incorrect bowing, national anthem not singing security risk ex-spy vegetarian who wants to nationalise sausages and sell all our nukes to Russia (only this last is not something that has actually been alleged about Corbyn and / or Labour) I would not be surprised if they just muttered "I haven't made up my mind yet" when asked.

Is this a thing or just another straw that I am clutching at?  We'll know soon enough ...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Had the same (slightly desperate) thought (which is why I searched for ‘shy labour voters’ and found you).

To be honest, I’ve become a bit of a shy Corbynite myself. And he’s my local MP!!!

Here in Islington, I’m surrounded by two types of Corbyn haters (three, if you count the Jewish contingent): the middle-class, New Labour types who are dreaming of Blair’s second coming and the working-class types who regurgitate the bile from The Sun at the least provocation as if it’s the gospel truth.

Anonymous said...

I think you are on the money. Like the commenter above, I also googled "Shy Labour" and ended up here. I think voting Labour is the current most embarrassing political disposition to admit in public - hey, I even did so much as mention the merits of just ONE of his policies, and got completely shot down in a social setting a week ago, with people advising me to steer well clear of Labour (disclaimer - this social group was comprised entirely of Investment Bank employees, so not exactly a microcosm of society).

I think Corbyn's rhetoric resonates with a lot of people who shudder at the idea of another Conservative government for the 1% and the 1% only. Frankly I will be happy whoever gets into number 10 so long as it isn't that Etonite twat Johnson - what a dangerous man.

lurgee said...

It's a rare delight to get TWO comments on some of my inane ramblings.

"this social group was comprised entirely of Investment Bank employees"

LOL. What were you thinking?

Anonymous said...

I'm not British but I really hope Corbyn wins. Good luck y'all.

lurgee said...

So, it turns out 'Sy Labour voters' weren't a thing.

Unsurprising

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