After voting Tory all my life the EU referendum was an eye opener. The parliamentary party voted remain while 80% members voted leave and 70% conservative voters voted leave. Many of us don't believe in socialist neoliberal undemocratic structures like the EU who have an unhealthy affinity to oligarch organisations such as the WEF. After careful reflection I discovered I'm culturally conservative, believe in the free markets but absolutely NOT unfettered, and favour SME enterprises rather than multinational and big corporates. I believe the family and strong local community are key to a well adjusted society. The regions and its industries have been decimated under Tory governments and not addressed by Labour or the coalition governments. either. The North has been decimated over the years but like many people I became tribal as I thought the Tories were more competent than Labour at just managing the country.The Tories are as divided as Labour between the new intake and those who are Southern based. I grew up in the 70's listening to Northerners talking about North South divides and I see very clearly now what they meant. The Tories don't really have the North at heart they'll just say anything to stay in power. The culture wars are really important to the North but its been largely ignored by the Tories who seemed oblivious to the fact it's always been there and so didn't see it coming. Their response so far has been pathetic and nowhere near as robust as we'd like it to have been and I sense still don't really want to be robust in tackling it. Nobody talks about compassionate conservatism or Christian values they all talk liberalism and multiculturalism. They've turned a blind eye to authoritarian regimes such as China and socialism oppression for years as it fit with their views on unfettered free markets. I'm at the point now where I can't stand the sight or sound of the Tories, I don't trust them. I want the same as Rod and I suspect lots of other Tories do too, I'm prepared to put my cross somewhere else because I'm not seeing a Tory party united around a common thread. I've listened to the Tories over the last 4-5 years and find myself disagreeing with them more than I agree and when I do agree with individuals I don't think it represents the whole party. My vote will go to SDP after 36 years of voting Tory as they have clear vision and are more United around basic values whereas the Tories have no clear thread that runs through them and are not United as a result. The SDP are GENUINELY eurosceptic, genuinely believe in conservative family values, genuinely believe in strong communities and genuinely want to make a change in the North. The Tories have ADOPTED some of these to stay in power but I DON'T believe it's genuine amongst the party as a whole. I don't believe the membership and electorate went the other way just because of the EU issue I think it was much bigger and wider issues that divided the party from its membership and electorate. I believe the whole of the SDP are genuine I don't believe the whole of the Tory party are genuine they've adopted it for the purpose of maintaining power.

The new leader of the lib dems just announced liberalism is alive and well. At least she didn't call it democracy is alive and well. She said they will do everything to stop brexit. It is time they changed the name to the Liberal fascists.

I'm going to vote for these , compared to the others who don't represent the normal working guy !

Kudos to you Rod!

I joined the SDP in April 2020 and don't regret We need an alternative to the Conservatives and Labour parties Both inept

You’re more responsible than a lot of the MPs we have at the moment.

I dare say he's definetley changed his stand point. Now that the SDP have aligned themselves with Reform UK. And Laurence Fox's Reclaim party have joined forces with UKIP. So it will be intresting to see what comes of all this.

The fundamentals of left and right are defined by economic posistions. So the distinction between people along these lines aren't going anywhere.

Once we are fully out of the EU, normal democracy will have to resume, with proper, honest political aims that reflect their party names. There will need to be some new parties, and some old ones will have to go. The Brexit party will need to split, or break up completely. It’s job will be done.

Pity he doesn't stand in elections. Mind you I thought he saw the NHS as a 'gaping maw'. Like, no use putting more dough in. No?

When more than 50% of households are net detractors from the economy, there is no such thing as “austerity”

Iain Dale talks far too much.

😂😂😂😂 here he is again the toxic avenger