Here at CARE we long to see civility, decency and good debate in our politics. We believe that rigorous debate is a key part of a healthy politics and can help politics to be a great force for good. Sadly, though we often see plenty of examples of bad debate, incivility, and downright poor behaviour.
Each week we will bring you some of our favourite examples of civility, decency, and good debate in our politics, as well as some sad examples of the darker side of politics.
GOOD
A display of grace…
Sadly, we’ve spent plenty of time this election highlighting examples of fearmongering, hatred, deceit, and abuse. However, despite the often-sordid nature of the campaign, there are several examples of grace and generosity to opponents in the post-election speeches of high-profile Conservative MPs including Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak.
Jeremy Hunt, "Some Conservatives will wonder whether the scale of our crushing defeat is really justified, but when you lose the trust of the electorate, all that matters is to have the courage and humility to ask yourself why"
— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) July 5, 2024
"Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are decent people..… pic.twitter.com/kUWdRMJ0K3
I have given this job my all. But you have sent a clear message, and yours is the only judgement that matters.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 5, 2024
This is a difficult day, but I leave this job honoured to have been Prime Minister of the best country in the world.https://t.co/EhNsfIaGWM
The beauty of democracy…
Whilst pages will be written about the health of democracy and particularly the voting system, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer paid homage to the “magic of democracy” and the blessing that it is for power to change hands peacefully.
Respect to Jeremy Hunt, who held his seat (just) but is out as Chancellor: this is a decent speech pic.twitter.com/ObhNkgRyFr
— Samuel West 💙💛 (@exitthelemming) July 5, 2024
They’re only human after all…
Whether you’re happy with the outcome of the election or not spare a thought (and pray) for MPs and candidates of all stripes as they face elation, sadness, and exhaustion. Our own Director of Communications came out of the blocks with a call to remember that MPs are people who face huge change in the next few days.
Do not underestimate how difficult the next few days will be for new MPs. They are both exhausted and elated. They need to recruit staff, learn a new job, get used to London travel 4 days a week, learn how parliament works. Big adjustment for them and their families #pray!
— James Mildred (@JamesMildred) July 5, 2024
Think too of all the MPs’ staff. Not only do many former MPs face their lives being turned upside down, so too do their staff…
In 2019, the MP I worked for lost their seat, and I was jobless the next morning. Thinking of MPs' staffers tonight. Regardless of politics, finding out you've lost your job on national television is incredibly tough.
— Bella Wallersteiner 🇺🇦 (@BellaWallerstei) July 4, 2024
BAD
Accusations of lies and deceit…
There have been rumours of dodgy campaigning throughout the election, with the final week of the election seeing both the Labour and True & Fair Party candidates in the constituency of Epsom and Ewell criticise the Lib Dem campaign for making false and misleading claims.
The leaflet below delivered recently from Helen Maguire / Lib Dems contains a blatant lie highlighted saying: ‘with Labour publicly deciding not to campaign in Epsom & Ewell.’
— Mark Todd for Epsom & Ewell 🌹 (@MarkTodd_pol) June 29, 2024
This is categorically untrue. We are campaigning every day many times a day with big teams. We have… pic.twitter.com/siTkhduiZc
Gina Miller speaks out about local LibDem campaign dirty tricks – calls for integrity in the last week of the #generalelection #ge2024 #GE24 to stop misleading voters@MarkTodd_pol @EElabour @thatginamiller pic.twitter.com/JhpmSvavgi
— Gina Miller for Epsom & Ewell (@GinaForEpsom) June 29, 2024
Gutter politics…
After Keir Starmer said that, should he be elected Prime Minister, he would seek to finish work at 6pm on Fridays to invest in his family, the Conservatives spewed out a tonne of attack lines trying to paint him as a “part-time Prime Minister”. Yet another sad example of demonstrably false claims aimed at misleading voters.
The @Conservatives have suggested Keir Starmer would be a “part-time Prime Minister” and “clock off work at 6pm”.
— Full Fact (@FullFact) July 2, 2024
Mr Starmer actually said he’d try to finish by 6pm specifically on Fridays, to have “protected time for the kids”. #GE24
Read more here👇https://t.co/PDLO5NJFg8
UGLY
Not all acceptance speeches are happy…
Whilst many acceptance speeches have been scenes of magnanimity and examples of the success of British democracy, others have been more unpleasant. Labour MP Jess Philips was drowned out by protestors at her acceptance speech, and more worryingly spoke of the harassment she and her fellow campaigners have experienced.
Breaking: Jess Phillips acceptance speech disrupted by Pro-Palestine chants pic.twitter.com/VVgLELUBlm
— Jack Carson (@_jack_carson) July 5, 2024
Shabana Mahmood, another Labour MP elected in Birmingham, also gave testimony of threats of physical violence and harassment, warning the behaviour she had experienced was an “assault on democracy itself”.
Powerful acceptance speech by @ShabanaMahmood, who said the campaign in Birmingham Ladywood had been "sullied by harassment and intimidation" which was an "assault on democracy itself".
— Will Hazell (@whazell) July 5, 2024
"I know what Muslim values are. Muslim values are mine." https://t.co/foFBATL0JT pic.twitter.com/oEGPmCKxWp
FUNNY
Politics has its good moments and its bad moments but sometimes it’s just quite funny. Each week we will bring you some of our favourite highlights from the week.
Thinking outside the box…
In what has essentially become a dedicated slot to the Lib Dem campaign, Ed Davey saved the wildest of his electoral stunts to the final week of the campaign. Over the course of the past week Sir Ed Davey has been bungee jumping and taken part in Zumba and water aerobics classes. It’s been an unusual approach from the Lib Dems, but based on the election results, it seems to have paid off…
"Believe it or not that's Ed Davey…" pic.twitter.com/6hp0p3lvVs
— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) July 1, 2024
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey joined a Zumba class as he continues his high-energy campaign in the run-up to Thursday's election pic.twitter.com/KtPsbUdWmj
— ITV News Politics (@ITVNewsPolitics) July 1, 2024
Ed Davey doing an aqua aerobics class at Cheltenham Lido pic.twitter.com/ldQ6H7VcyB
— Lucy McDaid (@LucyJMcDaid) June 30, 2024