Ask a Brit thread

[CARLHAYDEN]

I have asked this question of other posters from the UK, and never gotten a clear answer.

In terms of major policy matters, where do the Conservatives differ from Labour of the Liberal Democrats?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

In terms of major policy matters, where do the Conservatives differ from Labour of the Liberal Democrats?

How long have you got?

As far as this election goes, Labour are proposing increasing the size of the welfare state while bringing in somewhat authoritarian measures to deal with terrorism, the Tories are proposing some rather strange ideas as far as the welfare state and taxation goes (I'll go so far as to say their plans don't add up) while making a big thing of minor policies on Gypsies, Asylum Seekers etc. and the LibDems are proposing to slash and burn the welfare state (except services that are importent to key voters, like pensioners and students), abandoning economic planning and slightly raising taxes on high earners, while offering a fairly libertarian position on civil liberties (they seemed to have dropped that laughable bullsh*t about "tough liberalism").

[Bono]

In terms of major policy matters, where do the Conservatives differ from Labour of the Liberal Democrats?

How long have you got?

As far as this election goes, Labour are proposing increasing the size of the welfare state while bringing in somewhat authoritarian measures to deal with terrorism, the Tories are proposing some rather strange ideas as far as the welfare state and taxation goes (I'll go so far as to say their plans don't add up) while making a big thing of minor policies on Gypsies, Asylum Seekers etc. and the LibDems are proposing to slash and burn the welfare state (except services that are importent to key voters, like pensioners and students), abandoning economic planning and slightly raising taxes on high earners, while offering a fairly libertarian position on civil liberties (they seemed to have dropped that laughable bullsh*t about "tough liberalism").

If the lib dems want to "slash and burb" the welfare state, whats the point in raising taxes?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

If the lib dems want to "slash and burb" the welfare state, whats the point in raising taxes?

They want to do that to most of it (although the media hasn't spotted this yet)... but they're going to increase it's size in areas they think they can get votes out of (ie: pensions)

[Bono]

If the lib dems want to "slash and burb" the welfare state, whats the point in raising taxes?

They want to do that to most of it (although the media hasn't spotted this yet)... but they're going to increase it's size in areas they think they can get votes out of (ie: pensions)

Still why not just divert the money from the cut programs into the ones they want to mantain?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

If the lib dems want to "slash and burb" the welfare state, whats the point in raising taxes?

They want to do that to most of it (although the media hasn't spotted this yet)... but they're going to increase it's size in areas they think they can get votes out of (ie: pensions)

Still why not just divert the money from the cut programs into the ones they want to mantain?

Apparently they intend to do that, but they also intend to scrap university tuition fees... something that'd cost a hell of a lot of money.

[CARLHAYDEN]

In terms of major policy matters, where do the Conservatives differ from Labour of the Liberal Democrats?

How long have you got?

As far as this election goes, Labour are proposing increasing the size of the welfare state while bringing in somewhat authoritarian measures to deal with terrorism, the Tories are proposing some rather strange ideas as far as the welfare state and taxation goes (I'll go so far as to say their plans don't add up) while making a big thing of minor policies on Gypsies, Asylum Seekers etc. and the LibDems are proposing to slash and burn the welfare state (except services that are importent to key voters, like pensioners and students), abandoning economic planning and slightly raising taxes on high earners, while offering a fairly libertarian position on civil liberties (they seemed to have dropped that laughable bullsh*t about "tough liberalism").

Your response essentially makes my point.

Labour has a policy on major issues, with which I would generally disagree.

The Liberal Democrats also have a policy on major issues, on some of which I agree.

The Conservative party avoids clear positions on major issues.

[Horus]

Is it true that British women are on average a bit more conservative than British men?

If so, why?

[Emsworth]

Just how little social importance are Lordships of Manors?

Although I would not qualify under the thread's title ("Ask a Brit"), I do happen to the answer: they are of almost no social importance at all. Lords of the Manor are never actually addressed as "Lord Such-and-such," and receive no special precedence or privileges (except for a few obscure feudal ones).

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Is it true that British women are on average a bit more conservative than British men?

If so, why?

I've looked into this and generally speaking the answer is no; there isn't a great deal of political difference between men and women in the U.K.
But overall women as a group tend to be more conservative than men because one group of women tends to be very conservative in their voting habits, so much so that it distorts the statistics; women over 65 are the most conservative demographic in the country. Not only do they distort the statistics for women as a group they distort the statistics for over 65's as a group; men over 65 tend to lean towards Labour if anything, although because of life expectancy there's a lot less old men than old women.

The reason for the very conservative voting habits of old women may have something to do with life expectancy (middle class women live longer than working class women) and also something to do with a traditional fear of trade unions and so on.

Interestingly this group have been noted as being very conservative for a long time (Orwell often made scathing attacks on "Brighton boarding house ladies", and the stereotype of the little old lady with worryingly right wing views was used by Dennis Potter at least once) which supports the life expectancy arguement.

[MasterJedi]

Where do the areas in Britain fall on the political spectrum?

[Silent Hunter]

I wouldn't know specifics, but I can do parties:
Wales: Labour in urban areas and the ex-mining areas, LD elsewhere.
North-East: Labour
North-West: Labour, especially in Merseyside and Greater Manchester
Scotland: Labour
South East: Conservative
East Anglia: Conservative.
London: Labour in the ex-LCC area, somewhat Conservative outside.
South West: Increasingly LD.
West Midlands: Labour
East Midlands: Labour

[Emsworth]

Wales: Labour in urban areas and the ex-mining areas, LD elsewhere.

For the most part, Wales belongs to Labour.

I would add that Northern Ireland is dominated by regional parties; the Nationalist Parties are stronger in the western and southern parts, whilst the Unionists are stronger in the eastern and northern parts.

[MasterJedi]

I wouldn't know specifics, but I can do parties:
Wales: Labour in urban areas and the ex-mining areas, LD elsewhere.
North-East: Labour
North-West: Labour, especially in Merseyside and Greater Manchester
Scotland: Labour
South East: Conservative
East Anglia: Conservative.
London: Labour in the ex-LCC area, somewhat Conservative outside.
South West: Increasingly LD.
West Midlands: Labour
East Midlands: Labour

Thanks for the info

[DanielX]

Are there any sizable parties in the UK that are either libertarian or US-conservative (or even US-center-right) in scope? So far, the Tories , Labor, LibDems, and BNP all sound left-of-center, at least by US standards, in economic issues.

Anyone propose actually cutting/eliminating the welfare state?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Anyone propose actually cutting/eliminating the welfare state?

Tories propose to slash the welfare state in most areas (although they partially deny this) except for pensions.
LibDems propose to slash the welfare state in most areas, but increase the amount on pensions and drastically expand it for students.

[Platypus]

are you guys ready to watch Australia win over half the gold medals at the (British) Commonwealth Games?

seriously though, what is ther British opinion on the former colonies, especially those in the commonwealth (and especially Australia)?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Generally most people seem to like them... although the joke is that Australia is a big desert with lots of spiders and convicts but no culture is pretty common (although somewhat affectionate; a lot of people have relatives in Australia because of the post-war emigration).

[Hatman 🍁]

Generally most people seem to like them... although the joke is that Australia is a big desert with lots of spiders and convicts but no culture is pretty common (although somewhat affectionate; a lot of people have relatives in Australia because of the post-war emigration).

What about Canada?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Most people here like Canada a lot. Because you don't beat us in sports we care about there's no point developing carefully affectionate insults

[Peter]

Canadians sit around nibbling on carrots a little too much for my taste, but other than that, they're fine.

[Akno21]

In your opinion, is Britian closer to the United States or Western Europe in a cultural sense? (i.e. sports, music, etc.)

[Filuwaúrdjan]

In your opinion, is Britian closer to the United States or Western Europe in a cultural sense? (i.e. sports, music, etc.)

Both

Western Europe isn't a monolith (far from it). In terms of sport we're clearly closer to the rest of Europe but in other ways we're closer to (say) Australia. No one's quite like us with sport actually...

Culturally it varies, but generally speaking most of the U.K is culturally much more similer to most of America than most of the rest of Western Europe (and for obvious reasons) but in many ways we're not really like anywhere else...

Some more specific cultural questions would be helpful

[Emsworth]

Is it true that New Labour is to the right of the pre-Thatcher Tories?

[Peter]

Is it true that New Labour is to the right of the pre-Thatcher Tories?

On economic issues, absolutely. Most social issues, its to the left however, though that may have more to do with 30 years passing.