Adam Ramsey - Why does England vote Tory?

 Progressives will never dominate English politics without confronting Churchillism.

The British Empire has his a big effect on the English psyche, where people see its 'greatness' as something to be very proud of and highly esteemed. The  Scottish and Welsh on the other hand were victims of the British Empire and so have less affinity for it. The English people see Conservative politicians as being very business-like the best people who will look out for  British interests - Britian First. 

Many English people see Labour politicians as anarchists, who back the causes of other countries (that were victims of British imperialism), such as  Gadaffi's Libya and the people in Northern Ireland who wanted independence. When you consider how much many of the English wanted to get out of Europe, it's ironic they don’t understand the desires and wishes of so many people in Northern Ireland.

So, the English are very liberal, social democratic, and do want a well funded NHS, state run railways - and maybe buses too - along with a good state welfare system, but they also highly esteem the British Army, the Navy, the Airforce, the British establishment, the Royal Family, and believe that only the toffs can run Britain properly. They also believe in having a strong nuclear deterent. 

So, in other words, politically, I don't have much in common with them despite my working class background. I'm anti nuclear weapons, pro Europe, and a very anti-imperialist. When I was 19 years old I was once reading Gaddafi's Green Book in the electricians shop at tea break, when the other guys asked me what I was reading. But I wasn't brave enough to say Gaddafi's Green Book, so I said America's foreign policy towards the third world, which was the subtittle on my version. Gaddafi at the time was detested for supporting the IRA. 

Similarly, Trident nuclear weapons show a statistically significant difference in opinion.

Perhaps more significant, though, are two other differences. The first is that English voters overwhelmingly think that the empire was a good thing, while Scottish voters narrowly think it was bad. The second is that there is significantly less support for the monarchy in Scotland – 53% vs 69% for Britain as a whole, according to one recent poll. 

Organised enthusiasm for the Windsors is also much weaker in Scotland. During the 2012 Queen’s Jubilee, there were 9,500 street parties in England and Wales, but only 60 in Scotland, mostly organised by the Orange Order.

If we want to understand why England votes Tory, this basket of issues seems to point to the answer. Each of them has in common that they are an icon of Anglo-British nationalism. And the Conservatives are seen as the party of Anglo-British nationalism.

Open Democracy 

Adam Ramsey - Why does England vote Tory?