We have arrived at that place. A general election. The one where our two main political parties are campaigning to see who’s going to be burying the bodies of the people their policies kill.
The Tories have proven over the last 14 years that they don’t give a shit about anyone who is disabled, trans, not British, mentally ill, young, old or poor. Basically, if you’re not an Oxbridge educated, racist, corrupt prick who likes to avoid paying their taxes – you’re pretty screwed.
Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition has made more U-turns than a drunk guy on a unicycle. From scrapping the two-child limit, tuition fees, and renationalising our public services, to blocking new oil and gas exploration in the north sea.
But here’s the thing. As a proud Gen Z, people have told countless times over the years that I have to tolerate, or even be friends with, people who have opposing political opinions to me. Honestly, I’ve always agreed. I’ve never even thought about it too much. Everyone disagrees sometimes, right?
Who lives and who dies
However, recently a sense of hopelessness has struck me. Somewhere along the line, we moved away from discussing – and even disagreeing – about politics, to disagreeing on fundamental morals and human rights.
When did our politicians stop asking ‘how are we going to solve this issue?’
Why is the new default ‘should we even bother trying to solve this issue?’
Why do the looney tunes in charge get to decide who lives and who dies? How does the colour of my skin and where I was born mean my life is more valuable than children in the Middle East?
Basic human rights should not be a political issue. Clearly they are – now more than ever before – but they shouldn’t be. It’s so much more than politics. It’s literal life and death.
Sneaky and calculated or downright cruel?
Currently, our main two political parties are condoning the murder of Palestinians in the name of colonialism. There are literal disabled people dying because the government doesn’t give a shit about systematically screwing them over. Meanwhile Labour made zero mention of disabled people in their pre-election pledges.
If one of my close friends told me they were voting Tory – I wouldn’t be angry. I’d be sad, but mainly disappointed. To me, that says they’re okay with Israel needlessly killing Palestinian children. It says they’re okay with systematically excluding disabled people. It says they’re okay with young people literally killing themselves because they can’t access mental health care.
As someone who has personally experienced homelessness, it tells me they don’t have a problem with thousands of people sleeping on the streets every night. That becomes even more of a problem when you realise that homelessness is a political choice. Which they proved during Covid, bringing everyone inside practically overnight.
And getting really honest for a minute – voting Labour isn’t much better. Unless it’s tactical to keep the Tories out. Because whilst they might appear on the surface to be a little less cruel – many of their policies will have the exact same impact as the last 14 years of Tory hell.
Not so Great Britain
At some point, politics stopped being about politics. The muppets in charge changed the game. From being about who could create the most well-thought-out policies and making the country a better place to live in. To one which they trivialise suffering and question people’s value.
Maybe it’s naive of me to expect any less from a bunch of overpaid pillocks. But I don’t believe its naive for Gen Z’s to dream of a country where the core values of our politicians – and consequently the people voting for them – are not questioned every two minutes.
