It’s So Funny, I Don’t Blog About Politics Any More

I don’t blog about politics any more. Well, not like I used to anyway – I explained my decision in 2024 as to why I was voting Labour, but otherwise I’ve gradually given up on blogging about politics.

To be fair, I struggle to get around to blogging much, apart from my roast dinner reviews, of course – which still feature the latest from the morons (and paedophiles) in charge, mostly over the pond.

I quite often have blog posts in my head that I could write…but don’t.

Even this blog post about not writing blog posts about politics has been in my head for nearly a year. Maybe it is actually being written?

Who To Look Up To?

There isn’t anything to enthuse about, if you are a free-market liberal like myself. That used to be the Conservative Party, but it’s a strange kind of free-market liberalism if you believe in cutting yourself off from your largest free-trade zone.

David Cameron wasn’t perfect but his beliefs were roughly in line with mine – reduced government spending, economic liberalism, social liberalism, trading globally, being in the EU.

I also enjoyed listening to him in parliament, and thought he made a good speech.

Then I became a fan of Rory Stewart, though in some respects he was a bit more “country Tory” (not especially pro house-building, despite the housing crisis) – he was also really open and seemed to listen to people. His “Rory walks” campaign was fascinating.

I can see why people believed in Tony Blair…and likewise though through sepia-tinted glasses I can see why people follow Nigel Farage, even though I loathe him for the damage he has done to the economy, and continues to do by chipping away at the social fabric of this country.

Who can I get behind? Who in politics would give me a positive reason to blog about them?

I Don’t Hate The Current Government

On the flip side, I don’t hate the current Labour government. That isn’t to say I rate them highly – if they were a roast dinner, they’d maybe get 4/10.

They have damaged the economy somewhat with their previous tax rises, and likely will degrade it a bit further with their Employment Rights bill…but it isn’t game-changing.

The economy is still bumbling along, the country isn’t falling apart. Everything is kind of fine – the UK needs a bit of care and affection in places, but it’s not that bad…though I appreciate that’s easy for me to say in my relatively comfortable lifestyle.

Plus Labour might even do planning reform…which would actually get the economy growing. Lots of vested interests, lawyers and NIMBY’s blocking the path to that though.

I’ve Changed

And sure, I’ve changed too.

There isn’t much value in me blogging about politics – maybe half a dozen people will read it. There are far more interesting people writing about politics than I: Wealth Of Nations by Simon Nixon is one I enjoy reading for example, or
Goodall and Good Luck by Lewis Goodall.

Plus my opinion isn’t going to change anyone’s mind. Did I persuade anyone thinking of voting to leave the EU, to vote for remain, despite hours of time spent posting on Facebook every day? I doubt it.

Can I persuade anyone that thinks Donald Trump is the bee’s knees, that he’s actually a rapist…or that it matters morally that he’s a rapist? Those in the cult are way too far gone. There’s no point in making series political points when facts are denied.

I still quite enjoy explaining what I believe in, and how that affects the way I vote, or would vote…but there are more valuable things I can do.

Like writing code. Or going for a walk. Or having a beer. Or pining for the sunshine. Or researching another holiday.

So I don’t blog about politics any more. Except I just did.