Indeed, the problems with the term "centrist" is that it means something different to everybody. I've been calling myself a centrist on here since before being a centrist was cool, but I've usually prefaced it by calling myself the "wrong kind of centrist", due to being economically on the left, in favour of greater nationalisation and a generous yet trampoline-like welfare system, whilst being, for lack of a better term, more "conservative" on social issues. A centrist party of that sort would gain great support if it ever were to strongly emerge, as there are quite a lot of people who would fit more into that base whose views aren't matched on a UK-wide basis by any mainstream party (perhaps a few individuals who would be classed as "Blue Labour" or "Red Tory", but no party machine).

 

Of course, if such a party were to emerge, it would face a two-pronged attack, from the right-leaning traditional media for its economic policies, and from the left-leaning media and Twitterati for its social policies - if any member of said movement was to so much as let off an ill-timed fart, the entire media landscape would pounce and tar the entire movement with the same brush, killing it off straight away.

One thing Vidcapper and I agree on 100% is that the UK political system is geared around the 2 parties keeping their stranglehold on power.

 

Also, in our system, a centrist vote is seen as, and often *is*, more a protest vote than a solid endorsement of middle-ground politics. That's partly because they have to rely on policy 'scraps' that the main parties have little interest in.

Also, in our system, a centrist vote is seen as, and often *is*, more a protest vote than a solid endorsement of middle-ground politics. That's partly because they have to rely on policy 'scraps' that the main parties have little interest in.

If they have so little interest in those ‘scraps”, why do they steal so many of them?

Indeed, the problems with the term "centrist" is that it means something different to everybody. I've been calling myself a centrist on here since before being a centrist was cool, but I've usually prefaced it by calling myself the "wrong kind of centrist", due to being economically on the left, in favour of greater nationalisation and a generous yet trampoline-like welfare system, whilst being, for lack of a better term, more "conservative" on social issues. A centrist party of that sort would gain great support if it ever were to strongly emerge, as there are quite a lot of people who would fit more into that base whose views aren't matched on a UK-wide basis by any mainstream party (perhaps a few individuals who would be classed as "Blue Labour" or "Red Tory", but no party machine).

 

Of course, if such a party were to emerge, it would face a two-pronged attack, from the right-leaning traditional media for its economic policies, and from the left-leaning media and Twitterati for its social policies - if any member of said movement was to so much as let off an ill-timed fart, the entire media landscape would pounce and tar the entire movement with the same brush, killing it off straight away.

 

Quite similar to European style 'Christian democracy' then, if I understand that philosophy correctly. Whose parties makes up a large part of the European EPP, another reason why it's quite strange that the UK doesn't have a popular party that matches it, if it's popular in so many other countries, what has gone differently here? You might guess the Tories should have that niche, but they've lurched further right than they should have and certainly don't have an economic-left policy.

If they have so little interest in those ‘scraps”, why do they steal so many of them?

 

That's the real mystery... :)

Agree 100% with Iz, re the 'both sides are equally bad'. I am really up in arms that the BBC and other media outlets seem obsessed with trying to shift the narrative in it seems nearly every story to bring it around to that position. Sometimes things are just....worse than other things, that's not a shocking position to take.

 

Another point I feel is often (but maybe esp here with this new TIG) relevant is that this whole tendency to vote rightwing, for people to default to it, for that section to pick up a broad swathe of votes by default....really ISN'T a UK-wide occurrence. It's an English occurence. So much of the whole political landscape of the country right now is a largely, dare I even say uniquely English infight, as certain sectors that have been for decades now dependent and reliant on default support have felt that support shift and fall away, without preparation or awareness for what else to do to either bring them back or win over other groups to replace them.

 

Are the TIG MPs not completely English? And on that note...aren't really, all of the main faces we get in politics, except those clearly allocated space to be the token non-English e.g. the Plaid Cymru woman, Nicola Sturgeon, and occasionally Mhairi Black, besides of course dear Arlene (while being consistently misrepresented by the British media as a sole leader of NI). As an outsider that just seems really really apparent and yet nobody in the English media OR public really seems to have picked up on it. (not laying that towards any of yourselves btw, I mean in the wider sphere of writers and commentators etc.)

Quite similar to European style 'Christian democracy' then, if I understand that philosophy correctly. Whose parties makes up a large part of the European EPP, another reason why it's quite strange that the UK doesn't have a popular party that matches it, if it's popular in so many other countries, what has gone differently here? You might guess the Tories should have that niche, but they've lurched further right than they should have and certainly don't have an economic-left policy.

 

I'd only be speculating, but I imagine that having a constitutional monarch that is also the head of the established church, as well as a first-past-the-post system that didn't allow for a Christian democratic party to break through in the same way as other European countries post-WWII might have played a part.

 

There was an article on CapX yesterday which revealed that it is the economically leftist, socially conservative are the group that feel the least represented by the current parties, so there is a gap for such a party to break through. The closest party with any real chance of delivering on it at the moment are, quite pertinently enough, the SDP, or at least its current incarnation of it. I've been following their progress with great interest over the last few months since they gained an MEP, and I've seen quite a few people that I follow on Twitter joining the party recently. They revealed their policy platform a few days ago, and I'll happily admit that there is a great deal of it that I would agree with. The only sticky wicket however is that they are firmly pro-Brexit: their MEP defected from Ukip, and some of their new membership has come from that party (although quite a few of the party that I follow that joined came from the "blue" wing of Labour, including quite a few that voted Remain). I doubt they're going to make any real gains any time soon, but as far as ecolsocir parties go, they're perhaps the only real prospect around.

There was an article on CapX yesterday which revealed that it is the economically leftist, socially conservative are the group that feel the least represented by the current parties

 

That is the closest to my position.

 

, so there is a gap for such a party to break through. The closest party with any real chance of delivering on it at the moment are, quite pertinently enough, the SDP, or at least its current incarnation of it. I've been following their progress with great interest over the last few months since they gained an MEP, and I've seen quite a few people that I follow on Twitter joining the party recently. They revealed their policy platform a few days ago, and I'll happily admit that there is a great deal of it that I would agree with.

The only sticky wicket however is that they are firmly pro-Brexit: their MEP defected from Ukip, and some of their new membership has come from that party (although quite a few of the party that I follow that joined came from the "blue" wing of Labour, including quite a few that voted Remain). I doubt they're going to make any real gains any time soon, but as far as ecolsocir parties go, they're perhaps the only real prospect around.

 

Pro=Brexit wouldn't be a problem for me, of course. ;)

Edited February 27, 20196 yr by vidcapper

The Tiggers are in talks to officially become a political party. I imagine that if/when the party becomes official, they won't be known as The Independent Group, as I think the Electoral Commission may judge it slightly misleading due to "independent" appearing on the ballot paper for any candidate who doesn't run with a party.

I guess this is all part of the initial plan to keep their names out there for as long as possible. The intention has clearly always been to form a party but delaying making this official keeps up the publicity.

@1111582509517717505

 

ChUK-a ChUK-a vision, Ch-Ch-Ch-ChUK-a vision.

It’s been pointed out the somewhat negative connotations of its abbreviated name ‘CUK’, when it is said out loud. Boy, I am not looking forward to the BBC explainer on what one of those is.

 

THIS IS WHY YOU RESEARCH THESE THINGS PEOPLE.

C*UK-UP

 

(That's a Change UK and Ulster Unionist Party coalition obvs)

I prefer to think of it as the first party headed by an astrophysicist - reaching for the stars! :P

 

Jeremy Corbyn: 2 grade E A Levels despite living in a Manor House, attending a Prep School, and a Grammar School.

 

Just saying.....

What a dreadfully naff name for a party.

@1111626376182931457

 

Soubry seems to think their party is Change.org :D

Change UK legit sounds like one of those really random parties that gets like 150 votes in a handful of constituencies, cannot take them seriously with that name :lol:

 

 

Moral: it doesn't matter how desperate you are for candidates, members, backing and policies, make sure you have at least SOME minimum decent standards. Jeremy Corbyn could have told them that......

More bad news for Change UK. When they changed their name over on Twitter, they forgot to hold on to their original handle. It was quickly snapped by a Hard Brexiteer, who's already made his mark on the page. As this page is currently the #2 search when you Google "change uk twitter", this is pretty bad stuff.

 

What silly sausages.