Have You Ever Changed Your Political Allegiance?

[naomi24]

During a conversation in News the other day, I said I know many people who have changed their political allegiance from Labour to Conservative, but none at all who have swapped from Conservative to Labour. Floating voters aside, have you changed your political allegiance – and if so in which direction, and why? (After a lifetime voting Labour, Tony Blair succeeded in teaching me to vote Conservative).

[Baldric]

Long term Tory Voter, choice not habit,
Didn't vote at last General Election,
couldn't see anyone worth voting for!

[sandyRoe]

The constituency where I live is represented by Dr Alisdair McDonnell of the mainly Catholic SDLP. The seat was previously held by a member of the mainly Protestant DUP. A plague on both their houses. I vote Green.

[jim360]

My Grandma, who has even served on the local council as a Conservative party councillor, voted UKIP in 2010. Not necessarily the biggest swing in political allegiance ever, but still.

[jake-the-peg]

I was pretty Tory when I was at school - but it was a very sheltered middle class upbringing

I guess the nearest I got to people who's families did manual work were the children of surgeons!

When I went to college and met a wider range of people and broadened my horizons my politics became much more liberal

[ludwig]

Similar to you Naomi. It was the invasion of Iraq that finally made me lose faith in Blair, and Brown was just hopeless.

Right now I'd call myself a floating voter who's seen yet to see any convincing reason to float back to Labour.

[LazyGun]

Labour in my teens ; Labour at University, Tory-ish when I first started earning serious money, Labour again when I regained my conscience and my empathy :) I very much doubt I will change again.

[ChillDoubt]

Never voted in any council or general election, don't intend doing so any time soon!

[modeller]

I was strong Labour , my father was a shop steward, I saw the total failure of all the nationalised industries, I saw the destruction and loss of our car industry by Union action, I saw the loss of our docks especially in London by the Unions trying to get Sovietisation over everyone within 5 miles of the docks and the refusal of the Dockers to accept containerisation , which resulted in Rotterdam taking all that trade. I saw whole towns like Warrington which were in a state of siege by striking council workers.
I could go on but you get the picture ..............I became a Tory apart from once voting for New Labour . What a mistake that was !
And now ? It's got to be UKIP the rest are not worth wasting my vote on.
At least with UKIP my voice has a tiny spot of influence. It's certainly causing the Tories to panic .

[factor-fiction]

Definitely, I used to be a member of the Labour Party (as a student on the Far Left), then became a member of the SDP, but moved from a Thatcher hater to a Thatcher/Major voter. I don't think it really matters whether Tory or Labour win the next election but I no longer support the Liberals who seem to me to be left of Labour

[Prudie]

After a lifetime of voting Labour it was Gordon Brown as PM that changed me to Conservative. I am easily influenced though, my earlier left leanings were probably as much to do with my very leftie first love/husband rather than anything I'd thought out for myself.

[naomi24]

Modeller, does it not worry you that a vote for UKIP, who have no chance of winning an overall majority, will assist a party you really don't want into office?

[Sqad]

Didn't have the sheltered middle class upbringing as did Jake the Peg.
Brought up by grandparents in an area that would make Harringay and Tottenham look like Mayfair.

Grandad a labourer on the railway and a Union Steward (NUR), learnt to plat snooker in a Labour Club and if I mentioned Tory would get a clip around my ear.

University...tried to keep up my Labour upbringing, but it wasn't adding up.

Worked in the NHS and then realised i was a Tory.

Labour took £19/6 out of every pond i earned and Gordon Brown creamed off the top of my pension pot.

Never voted other than Tory since.

More to it than that.....but that is it in a nutshell.

[berniecuddles]

never voted!!

[modeller]

No it doesn't because I don't trust either of them, it's scare tactics.
I think we will end up with another coalition. I hate coalitions particularly with the Libs but until we get strong parties willing to stand up for the UK
there no option .

[modeller]

That was an answer to Naomi.

[BlueToffee]

Regret to admit that I actually voted Tory onc, when Thatcher was first elected. Have tactically voted LibDem to oust the Tory, didn't work. Labour all the way for me.

The only thing blue about me is my name!

[Zeuhl]

Working class/Methodist upbringing favoured Labour

Uni confirmed it

Became one of 'Thatchers Children' as a young 'corporate executive' in the 80s

Conservative Party member, helper and consistent voter for Thatcher/Major govts

Moved away, became disillusioned with all major parties

Voted 'Green' ever since

[DTCwordfan]

Liberal to Conservative, my conservatism very much pro-internationalism as to trade - with Europe, yes, unless someone can build a case for being part of NAFTA - I once challenged George Young on my doorstep to that (he was my MP) and he couldn't reply. My views as to balance in society are probably more liberal than general Tory taste, immigration - well that I would redefine, the government organisation, I would slash to bits and rebuild.

[whiskeryron]

Always voted Labour, then when Mrs Thatcher stood as leader of the Tories voted for her because as I was aware that in the household women generally held the purse strings & thought '' it's time a woman was in charge'', what an error that was because although she sorted out the unions ( it needed doing) I think the position of Prime Minister went to her head ( ''we have become a grandparent'' quoting the royal we ) one of the things she was guilty of & something I can not forgive her for was putting all the miners in South Wales out of work ( I have great links in S/W & will never forget the ruin & devastation that ensued there). I then voted Lib/Dem in the next Gen Election because of the promise to leave education alone re. funding for students, yet again how wrong can you be ? I am now considering UKIP simply because having lived all of my life in a ''Democratic'' society where our laws were decided by an elected government I strongly object to being ruled by a foreign country. Voting UKIP could of course prove to be a fools paradise, we must wait & see.

WR.

[Mosaic]

I'm a naomi-alike - I couldn't quite align 'our martyred dead' with Tony's cronies.