I too have voted, and will vote, Conservative and I am not surprised to find that a folk forum has a predominance of left wing members. Folk clubs were the same. Life was simpler and pleasanter if political argument was avoided. So it is here.

What those on the left may not realise is that people like me share some of their aspirations.
I'm all in favour of those at the bottom of the heap having a safety net, I've been there and I've used it. The NHS, free at the point of use, is a good thing. I've been there and used it , thank you very much! I'm all in favour of of re-nationalisation of water. I wouldn't vote against re-nationalisation of electricity and gas. I would vote against the re-nationalisation of the railways.

What I don't share with the left is the idea that it is OK to pass the cost of all this on to future generations and the idea that spending money creates money. Keynes theorised at a time when this country spent very little on it's population. At that time there was 'headroom' for increasing spending. Now, with our NHS and Welfare Systems, our spending on ourselves has plunged us into ever increasing debt. The only solution is spending within our means and, currently that means spending less. Austerity is quite a good name for it.

One side of this forum's divide relies on abuse, bad language and spurious accusations far more than the other and it it would be a nicer place if this was not the case.