By Seena Shah
I haven’t always been a Conservative so I thought I would share what some of my perceptions were of the Conservative party before and explain why I am Conservative.
There are lots of myths and untruths in the news and on social media. Whatever you read, always question what the writer’s agenda is. (I think in my case, I have been super clear!)
I have listed a few perceptions of the Conservative party that often stop women from voting Conservative...
Conservatives are posh, male, pale and stale, right!?
Looking at politics in general, it is not surprising to think “wow, that doesn’t represent me!”. There aren’t enough women, younger people or variety in backgrounds in politics today. This is something that all parties must work together to improve. Young Conservatives are often portrayed as posh boys in tweed but there are lots of normal everyday women too! Take me for example- my ethnicity is Indian, my parents were born in Kenya and moved here as young children, I was the first in my family to go to university and believe me I’m really not posh! I’m not the only one too, I’ve met lots of diverse young women, all with a different story to tell.
The Tories don’t do anything for women
Contrary to what many believe- the Conservatives have done tonnes for the female agenda. 100 years ago, it was the Conservatives that gave women the right to vote. Since then, we have had the first female MP Since then, we have had the first female MP and two female Prime Ministers.
It’s just cuts, cuts, cuts
When the Conservatives came into power as a coalition with the Liberal Democrats in 2010, our economy was in a dire state. The Coalition was forced to make some really tough decisions to get everything back on track. As a country, we were asked to do more with less. This tactic has paid off and now our Conservative government is investing more than ever and the Prime Minister has committed to:
- Making sure people start seeing the £33.9 billion cash and the additional £1.8 billion committed in their frontline NHS services.
- Hiring 20,000 new police officers and giving them the powers to keep our streets safe.
- Properly funding our schools with £14 billion extra so that every child gets more guaranteed minimum funding, regardless of where they live.
This last point takes me neatly on to just why I am a Conservative. In order to spend money on public services like the NHS or education, we need a strong economy so that we have the money for it. The Conservatives are all about getting the finances right so that we have the money to do good things.
For me, the Conservative party represents hope and aspiration, if you work hard, you can earn good money and buy a house. The Party are aware, on a national and on a local level, of the need to build more truly affordable housing and as a result of their policies, for the first time, I feel that I can buy a house in the area where I grew up.
They have introduced a railcard for 26-30-year olds which will mean I save a third off rail fares. Youth unemployment has been halved and there are more job opportunities for me than ever before.
The thing that makes me proudest to say I’m Conservative is what we are doing to save our planet- whether it’s the plastic bag tax which reduced use by 83%, protecting bees by banning harmful pesticides, banning plastic straws, cotton buds, stirrers and plastic microbeads or the tough ban on ivory sales; the Conservatives are taking huge steps to create a better future.
So, underneath the Conservative image, you will find diverse everyday people who all want the world to be a better place.
If you would like to find out more about Conservative Young Women, please email me cyw@conservativewomen.uk
.