Predictably this tweet led to comment that I am showing moral relativism here - @michel_ehrlich and I think @paul0evans1 agrees
But - in this election of horrible choices - is there any way to avoid that?
A thread
But - in this election of horrible choices - is there any way to avoid that?
A thread
First of all, there are two things to separate:
- the individual human behaviour of the individuals (and, more important, the leadership) in the respective parties
- the policies that party would pursue were it in power
- the individual human behaviour of the individuals (and, more important, the leadership) in the respective parties
- the policies that party would pursue were it in power
Second, UK elections are a choice of both a local candidate and then a national government depending on the majority, and this is complicated by the UK election system
At the level of individual behaviour, we know very well both the Conservatives and Labour have major problems - especially anti-semitism within Labour and anti-muslim behaviour within the Tory Party
The SNP and Lib Dems have also suspended candidates for anti-semitism
The SNP and Lib Dems have also suspended candidates for anti-semitism
How relatively severe are these problems? It *looks* like Labour's problem is more severe, but hell knows how you are supposed to make a judgment on this, if you even can "oh they are severely anti this group, but they dislike three groups less intensely" No.
When we come to the policy level there is no comparison - the Tories want a hard line on immigration, have presided over the Windrush scandal, and want to make it hard and costly for EU citizens to stay in the UK post-Brexit. Labour doesn't.
Also the us-and-them, we-the-people type of populism pursued by Johnson is not going to help either
To use a EU comparison, the Tories are not a semi respectable people's party like the CDU. They are something altogether nastier, like Fidesz
To use a EU comparison, the Tories are not a semi respectable people's party like the CDU. They are something altogether nastier, like Fidesz
Put it another way: *whatever* minority you are, your life would become nastier were the Tories in power
Now don't get me wrong - I would rather this choice were not so grim. But we are where we are.
Were the UK election system less messed up we'd not have to face this. But it is and we do.
Were the UK election system less messed up we'd not have to face this. But it is and we do.
So if your argument is due to Labour's antisemitism, vote Tory, you have something v wrong with your moral compass. Likewise saying there is no antisemitism problem in Labour is *also* not right.
There are no good outcomes here. But some outcomes are still worse than others.
There are no good outcomes here. But some outcomes are still worse than others.
