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Pensioners abandon the Tories with just a quarter of over-65s planning to vote Conservative 

The Conservatives' core vote is leaking away in the run-up to the election with just a quarter of pensioners planning to back the party, a new poll suggests.

Just 26 per cent of over-65s say they plan to vote for the Tories at the next election, according to a super-poll of 5,000 people by Redfield & Wilton Strategies.

This is down from an estimated 60 per cent who backed the party under Boris Johnson at the 2019 election.

Some 32 per cent of pensioners now plan to vote Labour, giving Sir Keir a lead over Rishi Sunak in every age group of eligible voters.

But in a sign that is likely to cause more concern at CCHQ, there was a marked surge in support among pensioner for the Reform Party when he sacked Suella Braverman as Home Secretary last year.

It suggests that a sizeable chunk of right-leaning pensioners are drifting away from the Tories, with the small boats crisis and deportation flights to Rwanda the latest trigger. The party has not had the support of more than 50 per cent of pensioners since the resignation of Owen Paterson over lobbying in 2021.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13066175/Pensioners-abandon-Tories-just-quarter-65s-planning-vote-Conservative-Reform-Labour.html

Don't know, am hacked off to the back teeth with them all. :cry:  :worried:

Nobody has asked me.. Who are these pensioners that are being asked.. ?
Different papers usually have different results when doing 'polls'..

 I certainly would not vote Labour.. But I am concerned that if I vote Reform I will be giving Labour a vote..

What constituency are you in? For the Tories to stand a chance whatever you do they are likely to need to have achieved a sizeable majority at the last outing. They are 20 points or more down in the polling. Of course Labour could conceivably drag defeat from the jaws of victory but there is still time for the Tories to lose themselves even more points in the polling too. Both are a pile of 💩

A single vote decides nothing and with the mess I see after 14 years of them being in power I simply cannot possibly give them a vote. If Reform were not standing I'd either spoil the ballot or not bother at all.

Quote from: Scrumpy on February 10, 2024, 01:00:28 PMNobody has asked me.. Who are these pensioners that are being asked.. ?
Different papers usually have different results when doing 'polls'..

 I certainly would not vote Labour.. But I am concerned that if I vote Reform I will be giving Labour a vote..

That is about as logical as saying that if you vote Conservative you will be giving Labour a vote!

Personally, I shall vote for Reform, and I am absolutely certain beyond any doubt whatsoever that that will result in my giving Reform a vote!  🤣🤣🤣

It depends where you live to some extent.  Huge Labour majority here in the heartlands, so its Reform for me.  However, if I was in a two party marginal, I might vote Conservative rather than help Labour get in.

If I vote Reform that is one less vote for Conservative.. Hence one less vote for Labour to worry about.. So... I will be ... in a roundabout way ... giving a vote to Labour...   Only a woman can come up with such a logical solution..

Quote from: JBR on February 10, 2024, 01:43:49 PMThat is about as logical as saying that if you vote Conservative you will be giving Labour a vote!

Personally, I shall vote for Reform, and I am absolutely certain beyond any doubt whatsoever that that will result in my giving Reform a vote!  🤣🤣🤣

This coming election will be the second time in my life that I have not voted Conservative. The first was after Ted Heath's fiasco of a three day week and power cuts. To my eternal shame I voted Liberal then.

The only thing that would shame me this time around is putting my X against the name of somebody standing for the party that has gone a very long way towards destroying my country. I firmly expect that we will be getting a Labour government wearing red rosettes rather than a closet socialist high tax, big government, nanny state party who sport blue rosettes. The only saving grace being I didn't vote for either of them.

Quote from: Scrumpy on February 10, 2024, 03:00:57 PMIf I vote Reform that is one less vote for Conservative.. Hence one less vote for Labour to worry about.. So... I will be ... in a roundabout way ... giving a vote to Labour...  Only a woman can come up with such a logical solution..

You are, of course, free to vote for whom you think would serve us best.
But I think that in a majority left-wing area, whether you vote for Conservative or Labour is rather irrelevant, as the Conservatives wouldn't have succeeded there even if they had served the country very well these last several years.

In those seats any dissillusioned Labour supporters won't be voting Reform in case it lets the Tories in. Some of course probably more because they'd consider them worse than the Tories

Nobody has the courage to vote for what they want. Instead the vote against what they don't want. As I don't want either I'm free to vote for whoever I want. Sadly I have little to no chance of them succeeeding.

To be honest, I don't really care.

The country is going to hell in a handcart anyway, so I will vote for who I support.
If the majority of voters choose either Conservative or Labour, things will continue as they already are, or possibly even worse.

Eventually, when the penny finally drops, people may then decide that both of the so-called 'two main parties' are equally useless.  They will either decide that there is no point in voting at all or perhaps, possibly, they will be brave enough to try a different option!

No government is going to willingly alter the voting system that put them into power. Look at what the LibDems tried to change it to - a system that would have seen them forever in power as probably the junior partner in a coalition.

With the current voter mindset a Tory voter would put LibDem as second choice rather than Labour and obviously they'd be second choice of any Labour supporter. Fortunately it got voted down in the referendum but I sometimes wonder if it may not have been better than what we have now.

It may have seen some Reform MPs elected and that is unlikely with our first past the post system.

Quote from: JBR on February 10, 2024, 05:00:10 PMTo be honest, I don't really care.

The country is going to hell in a handcart anyway, so I will vote for who I support.
If the majority of voters choose either Conservative or Labour, things will continue as they already are, or possibly even worse.

Eventually, when the penny finally drops, people may then decide that both of the so-called 'two main parties' are equally useless.  They will either decide that there is no point in voting at all or perhaps, possibly, they will be brave enough to try a different option!

That's what happened in Scotland and the SNP became THEE party to support. But this last wee while has caused many wounds and now I don't know what will happen here at the next election.

Quote from: Raven on February 10, 2024, 05:18:54 PMThat's what happened in Scotland and the SNP became THEE party to support. But this last wee while has caused many wounds and now I don't know what will happen here at the next election.

True, but I sincerely hope that if Reform does get elected, they will perform rather better than the SNP.

Well whatever happens we can be sure that it won't benefit the Tories and there is a very good chance that it will benefit Labour.

Quote from: klondike on February 10, 2024, 05:32:24 PMWell whatever happens we can be sure that it won't benefit the Tories and there is a very good chance that it will benefit Labour.

In a way, I think it's only fair that Labour should have a go at messing up the country.
After all, the other 'main party' has done their best in that respect, so fair dos!

They'll need to really try to make a bigger balls up of everything than the incumbents have achieved but I firmly believe that they are up to it.

There would be problems if by some miracle Reform did become the government. The lizards that really rule the country would be crapping themselves that the party was finally over that they would do their level best to tank the pound and probably succeed. They did post Truss.

(https://gallery.digitalham.co.uk/images/may.gif)

Meanwhile our illustrious leader is fully prepared  for the election

(https://gallery.digitalham.co.uk/images/rishi_kicking_contest.jpg)

I'm convinced we'll have a Labour Government next.   My voting for Reform will make little difference to the outcome, but if enough of us have the courage to vote for a change, perhaps we'll get that change. 

No way Reform could form a Government but a couple of backbenchers would be a start !   :smiley:   This Thursday's by election in Wellingborough will be interesting, Labour are tipped to take the seat with Reform not doing as well there as they are in national polls,  but hey when are polls 100%   ?

Quite often in fact. It makes quite big news when they are well out. Sort of man bites dog story then.

I'd love to see them do well in Wellingborough just as I was hoping for a good result in Peterborough another nearby town a while back (maybe that was the Brexit party but same thing really). They didn't.

I think English voters refuse to look beyond the big two and mostly vote for one to keep the other out. In Wales and Scotland it's only keep the Tories out. I'm sure most LibDem votes are acquired as keep the other lot out votes and occasionally that does result in a win but they usually get far more coverage than any minor party. Especially one the lefty media hate.

" Quite often in fact. "  really, 100% ? well I never knew that  :cool:

Quote from: klondike on February 11, 2024, 11:54:13 AMI think English voters refuse to look beyond the big two and mostly vote for one to keep the other out. In Wales and Scotland it's only keep the Tories out. I'm sure most LibDem votes are acquired as keep the other lot out votes and occasionally that does result in a win but they usually get far more coverage than any minor party. Especially one the lefty media hate.

Exactly why we are in the state we are now, and sadly will continue in a similar direction for a long time yet.
I can only do what my conscience tells me.

Quote from: Alex on February 11, 2024, 12:05:26 PM" Quite often in fact. "  really, 100% ? well I never knew that  :cool:

Quite often is not 100%. 

They are probably never 100% correct but if they say a party will get 10% or less I think the chance of them winning is around 0%. 

Probably the bookies get things closer than polls - after all it's their cash on the line.

https://www.oddschecker.com/politics/british-politics/wellingborough-by-election/winner

Most Popular Bets
Labour (1/12)
Reform UK (12/1)
Conservatives (16/1)
Liberal Democrats (250/1)
Andre Pyne-Bailey (I... (1000/ 1)

Good to see they are topping the Tories.
Even better to see

(https://gallery.digitalham.co.uk/images/poor_jo.jpg)

Quote from: klondike on February 11, 2024, 02:15:02 PM

I think it will be a bit closer than many people think. Because the opposition is divided these days, I can see the conservatives being the largest party, without a majority. Thank goodness we got rid of the fixed term parliament because they won't limp on like that for very long.

I hope Reform will get some MPs but that really is wishful thinking.

If Netanyahu gets tired of being so faultlessly perfect where he is and wants to stand for election over here, he'll get my vote. 

I have decided.. 
I WILL vote Reform..
I certainly do not like the way Conservatives have been running the country..
I certainly will not like the way Labour will run the country , so either way , I am bolloxed ..
 So, I have nothing to lose.. 

Quote from: Scrumpy on February 13, 2024, 05:24:54 PMI have decided..
I WILL vote Reform..
either way , I am bolloxed ..
 So, I have nothing to lose..

:upvote: :upvote: :upvote:

Spot on. TBH it doesn't matter a rat's fart what any of us do as individuals don't alter national results but we can get a nice warm glow knowing that we aren't to blame for the inevitible balls up whichever of the big two wins.

Agreed.

Of course we could still say it wasn't our fault if we just didn't vote at all. TBH I rarely bother in local elections but I've never missed voting in a general election and doubt I ever will.