Posted by Fable -
Lady Thatcher is a modern instance of this phenomenon: money first, then devolution to the peerage so she could diseminate her remarkably medieval political factoids to the largest possible public.
Margaret Thatcher was born in Grantham. Her father was a greengrocer - I think they may have been comfortable (in her words working middle class) but I do not believe she 'came from money' as such. She received her peerage following her record term in Government (more so than any real achievements, other than crushing any left wing activity such as workforce strikes
)
Posted by Fable -
One other point: why is it that so many lowerclass Brits--and not just English, for that matter--automatically side with the party that wishes to give money to their hereditary enemies? My brother-in-law is of second-generation impoverished Irish descent. He, like his parents, is a staunch Republican (in the American sense of the word), quite conservative, even though he's never gained a thing from the party he supports. I've heard that in the 19th century, many dirt-poor heckled those lower class politicians who were seeking their votes, because they got some vicarious sense of control out of intellectually siding with the Master of the Estate. Other than my brother-in-law, does this still hold true?
I think so. I grew up in a mining village during the miners strike. The Labour party had a field day, convincing the working class population that the Tories (always considered pro-crown and upper class) were out to destroy the working class ideals.
To this day you have spots in this country that will always be pro one party - mainly because their families 'have always voted labour'. Go to Rotherham and vote Tory - a wasted vote. But you have said your bit.
Unfortunately in the UK, the parties are much of a muchness. Labour slated the Tories when they brought in 'Poll Tax' to replace rates. The Tories eventually amended this tax to 'Council Tax' which is means tested on property value, whereas Poll Tax was a tax on each individual over the age of 18 in a house. We have not seen the Labour party revert to the old rating system.
Until recently I considered the UK to be a two party government. I was criticsized this year for choosing not to vote.
My reasoning was I do not like the current party and have no faith at all in the opposition. I believe they should redesign the voting card to provide an 'abstination' box to cross and I would happily cross it. Then we would see the REAL balance...
Besides, since the tragic death of Screaming Lord Such (who lived quite close to me incidentally
) I have started to lose interest!
What better use could we make of butter mountains than ski-slopes?, and what better idea to cut pension costs and heating bills/TV licencing subsidies than funding all our over sixties to emigrate to Barbados
