[LeatherTrumpet]

I do yes

DO YOU?


close friends, not just random mates

[Ramsay]

I used to, but I couldn't stand their self confessed racism anymore so cut ties
Edit: I should say I have close friends who would be "right wing" and that's fine but out and out racism I just can't enable that

[Cherie]

Yes two of my good friends voted for Brexit

[Toy Soldier]

Yes, but no extremists of any description, so I guess in a sense... no.

Since the political spectrum is not about right vs left any more... It's about level-headedness vs various flavours of ****ing bonkers.

[Alf]

My best mate is or was a huge Corbynite. He's full on lefty, but I still love him.

[Oliver_W]

I don't really have any strong political views tbh. I guess I'm a Generic Liberal, but environmentalist before anything else.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

I don't really have any strong political views tbh. I guess I'm a Generic Liberal, but environmentalist before anything else.

Until about 2015, neither did I. Brexit and Trump changed that for a lot of people and the rise of social media of course.

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

I don't really have any strong political views

[Tom4784]

I won't tolerate bigotry but I do have friends with whom I disagree on politics.

[parmnion]

I always shut any political conversation in my real world down..usually with a sigh and a roll the eyes.

[The Slim Reaper]

Conservatives - yes, new tories - no.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by The Slim Reaper

new tories - no.

Just say chavs...

[smudgie]

Yes.
Friends and family.

[reece(:]

One of my best friends at uni used to vote UKIP, bless ha.

[Bollo]

Absolutely i do but although I may strongly disagree with some of my friends on their political views, everybody has a right to their own opinion and i respect that.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

I don't really have any strong political views tbh. I guess I'm a Generic Liberal, but environmentalist before anything else.

Get Of
the Bloody Fence..............

[user17866]

...I never really think of myself in terms of political views/leanings in the way that it seems to be such a prominent thing on forums...I’m a people person, not a left or right person...as others have said, I would find bigotry difficult but I guess there are some people who share similar views to me and yet the connection isn’t there for a close friendship...?..so it would follow that it could and would apply the other way as well and that the connection could still be there for a close friendship but that views could differ...(...for the most part...)...politics as any form of topic don’t come into conversations with friend’s....they have more in the last year because of COVID and government related things to that...but then, that’s also because we have very little balance in our lives to be able to discuss very much stretching out into other areas, with the restrictions...

[Nicky91]

friends no (but i don't have real life friends so)


family, well considering i'm centre left, and my parents are right wing lots of political views clashes here, and sometimes also quite racist which i can be ashamed about

[joeysteele]

I have friends who are supporters of all political parties although I've none who were/ are knowingly UKIP or Farage supporters.

I only draw the line at extreme bigotry and prejudicial discrimination levelled against those seen as the vulnerable poor.
I've no time for the deniers that poverty exists and I believe help should be forced to be given if not freely given.

It's why I changed my political stance.
To 18 , I was more a Conservative, as were all my family.
Although at 18 I voted Lib Dem, not trusting Cameron's Cons with the NHS.

I've voted Con for the local authority elections.

I now vote Labour, my main reasons for that, the NHS and the despicable treatment over the last near 11 years now of near persecution of the most vulnerable and even moreso the sick and disabled, who have been put through some of the most shocking and soul destroying testing for their benefits.

So I see good in all political parties and therefore have friends from all the political persuasions.

I draw the line at those more extreme on the mainly right, who always look down on and would keep down the poorest of society.
Sadly the last 3 PMs and the coalition government, then this lot from 2015 on their own have done just that.

I think the only time to look down on others less fortunate than ourselves is if you're setting out to help them back up.

So any of, in fact any, political position who would look down on and take away from the most vulnerable and sick and disabled.
Then no, they wouldn't be classed as friends of mine.
Thankfully, I don't think I have anyone like that as friends.

There were heavy divisions in my family at times.
However there too, few are now Conservative.
Some are Green.
The bulk have followed me to Labour, while in Scotland all my family now vote SNP.

I changed myself politically so know many keep searching as to politics.
I'm happy with Labour because despite its many faults, and there's many, I feel their heart is in the right place now again for the poorest and most vulnerable.

I've no time for anyone who would just dismiss the poorest and most vulnerable, lumping all of them together, because of a minority of those who'll abuse systems of help in place.

That's what defines my political efforts and hopes to help how I can and support the, and any, movements who wish to improve the quality of life for those poorest and vulnerable.

[Withano]

would’ve said yes if you asked six months ago, but literally nobody is happy with the tories right now

I don’t have any UKIP/BNP/EDL friends either - I prefer the happier, non-racist types as friends

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Withano

I don’t have any UKIP/BNP/EDL friends either - I prefer the happier, non-racist types as friends

I think "happier" is an important point and it does apply at both extreme ends of politics... The main reason I wouldn't be friends with people with either extreme right or left political views is frankly, because they are usually miserable, bitter, and resentful. It's just not fun to be around .

[Niamh.]

I would say all my close friends have similar views, obviously not on absolutely every issue but in general they would. I would have family members with very different views, I don't not have relationships with them because of that but I wouldn't hold back on my opinions if the topics come up in conversation

*Just to add I don't have any friends or family who are extremists of anything

[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

Haha!

Most of my views are fairly milquetoast and nothing people can generally disagree with - please don't cover our lovely green spaces with buildings, let people say and do what they like as long as it doesn't lead to physical harm of others, I don't much like huge businesses monopolising the world...

I used to think saying "rioting is bad no matter who does it" was hard to disagree with , but apparently not

[Niamh.]

tbf to Oliver, he's one of the few people on here who actually properly listens to other peoples arguments and is willing to have his mind changed sometimes. That's not a dig at other posters by the way, I just mean most people are just very firmly set in their views