Politicians 'don't live how we live', voters tell me. The Mandelson scandal won't change their minds | John Harris

Politicians 'Don't Live How We Live', Voters Tell Me. The Mandelson Scandal Won't Change Their Minds

A survey of voters reveals that the recent scandal surrounding Peter Mandelson, the UK's ambassador to Washington DC, has only deepened their distrust of politicians and the Westminster elite.

Mandelson was appointed as US ambassador despite knowing about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. The appointment sparked widespread outrage, with many questioning how Mandelson managed to keep this information from Starmer's inner circle.

Voters told journalists that they believe politicians "don't live how we live". They feel that those in power have very different experiences and priorities than the general public. One woman was quoted as saying, "I don't believe none of them. They don't live how we live. My mum's 78: she can't afford to put the heating on, and she's got terminal cancer."

This sentiment is reflected in a YouGov poll, which showed that 95% of the public were aware of the Mandelson story, with 44% following it "very" or "fairly" closely. Voters are also increasingly concerned about issues like grooming gangs, tensions surrounding asylum seeker housing, and the exploitation of women and girls by powerful men.

The scandal has highlighted the disconnect between those in power and the general public. Many voters feel that politicians are out of touch with their experiences and priorities. The appointment of Mandelson as US ambassador is seen as a symbol of this disconnect, with many wondering how he managed to keep his friendship with Epstein from Starmer's inner circle.

The crisis has also exposed deep-seated issues within Labour, including the party's wealthy roots and its failure to connect with working-class voters. The recent appointment of Mandelson into the party's upper echelons is seen as a symbol of this disconnect, highlighting the need for Labour to adopt a more radical and inclusive approach.

Ultimately, the Mandelson scandal has only deepened the public's distrust of politicians and the Westminster elite. It has highlighted the urgent need for Labour to adopt a new political narrative that connects with working-class voters and addresses the systemic issues that have driven people away from politics.
 
"It takes an active, thinking mind to find trouble in other people's thoughts." πŸ€” Just read about the latest scandal surrounding Peter Mandelson and I'm reminded of how politicians "don't live how we live". They're so out of touch with reality, it's like they're living in a different world. People are fed up with being lied to and manipulated by those in power. We need real change, not just spin and PR. The question is, will Labour listen? πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ
 
I think it's super clear why ppl are losing faith in politics πŸ€”πŸ‘Ž The fact that Mandelson was appointed despite his friendship with Epstein is just another example of how outta touch politicians can be πŸ’ΈπŸš« Voters are right, they don't live the same life as us regular people. My mum's struggling to afford basic things and she's not even sick with cancer, let alone terminal πŸ€•πŸ’” I mean, come on, 95% of ppl know about this scandal and only 44% care? That's like, super low enthusiasm for change πŸš«πŸ’” We need politicians who actually listen to us and represent our interests, not just the wealthy elite πŸ€‘πŸ‘Š Labour needs to shake things up and connect with working-class voters ASAP! #PoliticiansDontLiveLikeUs #MandelsonScandal #LabourReform #ConnectWithThePeople
 
I mean can you even believe this 🀯? Politicians thinking they're above the law just because of their position, it's like living in a different world. I've got friends who are struggling to make ends meet, my own mum is going through the same thing, but do politicians care? Nope, they're too busy lining their pockets and covering up scandals πŸ€‘

It's not about the scandal itself, it's about the fact that they don't live like us, you know? They don't have to worry about putting the heating on or paying bills, they just get handed a mansion and a fat salary. It's like they're speaking a different language πŸ“š And when they do, it's always about their own interests, not ours.

I'm so tired of politicians trying to spin this stuff and telling us we're being paranoid, but we know the truth πŸ’β€β™€οΈ. We see right through it. The only way Labour is gonna win back our trust is if they start listening to us, not just talking over us πŸ—£οΈ
 
πŸ€” I'm so done with politicians making decisions without thinking about how it affects normal people 🚫. Like, Mandelson knew about Epstein's shady past and still got picked for US ambassador? That's just messed up πŸ’β€β™€οΈ. It's not surprising that the public is distrustful of them now - they really don't seem to live in the same world as us 🌎. My grandma can barely afford heating, let alone travel to DC, so it feels like those in power are speaking a different language altogether πŸ’Έ.
 
omg i cant even believe what just happened 🀯 like seriously how do u appoint someone who is friends with a convicted sex offender 2 a position of power in the US embassy?!?! its all just too much for me 😩 and the thing that hurts the most is that ppl are saying politicians dont live how we live πŸ’” my mum cant even afford heating let alone terminal cancer 😭 & thats what people want change from πŸ”„ we need ppl who get it & can relate to our struggles πŸ€— but lol labour party is like "hey lets keep the same old rich dudes in charge" πŸ€‘ u mean come on labour its time 4 a change
 
😞 I mean, can you even blame them? Politicians are supposed to represent us, but it feels like they're speaking a different language altogether πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ. My grandma struggles to make ends meet, and she's got cancer too πŸ˜”. It's just not right that some of these politicians have connections with people like Epstein... it's like they're above the law or something? πŸ‘€

And I'm so tired of hearing about how "out of touch" politicians are 🀯. Like, don't they get paid to listen to us and represent our interests? 😑 It's not like we can just ignore their problems and focus on our own πŸ’β€β™€οΈ.

I think the Labour party needs to take a long hard look at itself and figure out how to connect with the people who matter most 🀝. We need politicians who are willing to listen and understand our struggles, not just talk about them from a safe distance πŸ—£οΈ. Anything less is just lip service πŸ˜’.
 
[Image: A picture of a politician looking out of touch, with a red X through it πŸš«πŸ’”]

[ GIF: A clip of a person saying "I'm not living my best life" while surrounded by money and luxury πŸ˜΄πŸ€‘]

Politicians need to get back in touch with reality... and that's just the beginning. They're like the joke's on them. [Image: A screenshot of a meme showing a politician as a cartoon character, with a speech bubble saying "I'm not getting paid enough" 🀣]
 
I'm so down with these ordinary folks, you feel? They're right on point – politicians don't live our lives, they can't even begin to understand what we're going through 😩. I mean, 78-year-old women who are struggling to afford basic needs and dealing with cancer should be the ones in charge, not some out-of-touch mandarins πŸ™„. And it's not just Mandelson – this is a systemic issue within Labour that needs to change, pronto πŸ’ͺ! They need to listen to the people, not just their own interests. It's time for a new politics that actually puts the people first 🀝
 
πŸ€£πŸ‘€πŸ•΄οΈβ€β™‚οΈ[A screenshot of a politician trying to do a "regular guy" pose, but failing miserably]πŸ˜‚πŸ™„

πŸ’ΈπŸ [A meme of a billionaire with a crown on their head, surrounded by a red circle with a dollar sign] πŸ’ΈπŸ 

🚫πŸ€₯[A screenshot of a politician's face with a giant X marked through it] 🚫πŸ€₯

πŸ”΄βœŠοΈ[A meme of a woman giving a thumbs up and the caption "I don't believe none of them"] πŸ”΄βœŠοΈ
 
πŸ€” Mmm... politicians 🚫 just don't get it πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ, ya know? πŸ’‘ they're outta touch with regular folks πŸ“ˆ like my mum's story 🎨
```
+---------------+
| Politicians |
| (out of touch) |
+---------------+
|
|
v
+---------------+
| Regular Folks |
| (with real problems)|
+---------------+
|
|
v
+---------------+
| Systemic Issues |
| (grooming gangs, |
| asylum seeker housing)|
+---------------+
```
πŸ“Š yeah, 95% of people know about the Mandelson scandal 🀯 and they're not impressed πŸ˜’. Labour's got some major work to do πŸ’ͺ, 'specially if they wanna connect with working-class voters πŸ‘₯. Radical change needed πŸ”₯
 
I feel me too πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ, like they're speaking another language or something. My aunt's been saying this for ages, but we never thought it'd be so obvious. Like, how can you trust someone who knows about some dude's shady past and still gets picked for the big job? It's just not right πŸ’”. And don't even get me started on the money thing – my mum's struggling to make ends meet and these politicians are over here living large πŸ€‘. We need a change, you feel?
 
πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ 72% of Brits think politicians are corrupt, 65% say they're out of touch... I mean, come on! πŸ™„ We've got a friend in Washington (Mandelson) who's pals with a convicted sex offender and our own MP can't even get the heat bill sorted for his mum? πŸ˜‚ What's going on?! πŸ‘€

Here are some stats that illustrate this issue:

πŸ“Š 45% of Brits say they're less likely to vote Labour because of its wealthy roots
🚫 30% of voters believe politicians prioritize their own interests over the general public
πŸš— 25% of people want a more radical and inclusive approach from Labour

Here's a chart showing how trust in politicians has changed over time:

πŸ’” Trust in politicians (1970-2025)
πŸ“ˆ 1980s: 60%
πŸ’” 1990s: 40%
πŸ‘Ž 2000s: 30%
🚫 2010s: 25%
πŸ˜’ 2020s: 20%

I think we need to see some real change from Labour and the rest of politics. Until then, I'll just be over here, throwing statistics at you guys... πŸ€“
 
I mean think about it... politicians are so out of touch with regular people like me πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ. They live in these fancy mansions, drive fancy cars, and go to luxury holidays while us ordinary folk struggle to make ends meet. My mum's story just really hit home - she can barely afford heating, let alone a life or death condition like cancer πŸ’”. It's all about the disconnect between what politicians think is important (probably their own careers & power struggles) and what regular people care about (making ends meet, having access to healthcare). We need to get them back on track, you know?
 
πŸ€” just read about this scandal surrounding Peter Mandelson... politicians dont live how we do, you know? they got their own lives, their own problems... like, my mum cant afford heating and she's sick too πŸ₯πŸ’¨ but they're all up in dc, living it up... what even is the point of having a ambassador who has friends with convicted sex offenders? it just shows how out of touch they are with reality. 95% of people know about this story, and yet they still cant connect the dots between politicians and the general public πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ
 
πŸ€” I don't know, like, maybe politicians do live how we live? πŸšͺ I mean, my cousin's sister works in Westminster and she seems nice enough... I guess it's just that they're all so busy and stuff, but still... 😐 I think the scandal is a big deal, but maybe it's also making people too cynical? Like, I don't know if I believe what people are saying about politicians being out of touch... πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ My mum's not really into politics, but she seems to be doing okay on her own, and that's what matters, right? πŸ’β€β™€οΈ
 
πŸ€” the mandelson scandal just shows how out of touch our politicians are, you know? they're not living in the same world as us, they're stuck in this bubble where everything's all fancy and connected to their mates... meanwhile, ordinary people like my mum are struggling to make ends meet. 🚧 it's like they think we don't notice what's going on around them. newsflash: we do! and trust me, we're not buying the whole 'they're just doing what's best for the country' thing anymore. πŸ™…β€β™€οΈ
 
πŸ€”πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ politicians r so outta touch lol! πŸ™„ like my mum struggles 2 afford heating rn & she's got terminal cancer πŸ’” but they're worried bout other ppl's probs πŸ€‘ meanwhile mandelson was best buds w/ epstein 🀒 how can u expect us 2 trust u when u live in a whole diff world? 🌐 my fave party needs 2 change their vibe, get more relatable & listen 2 the ppl who need help πŸ’¬ not just the rich & powerful πŸ€‘πŸ’Έ
 
πŸ€” I think its pretty clear why people are losing faith in politicians, you know? Its not just about one scandal, its about the fact that theyre living in these bubble worlds where their problems are way different from ours. My friend's partner is struggling to make ends meet and dealing with chronic illness, and no politician has ever reached out to her or offered any real support. Meanwhile, Mandelson is gallivanting around DC with Epstein, who got away scot-free because of his connections. πŸ€‘ Its like theyre speaking different languages. The disconnect between power and the people is so wide that its hard to even imagine how someone could bridge it. Labour needs to get real about the problems their constituents are facing and stop worrying about being liked by the elite. πŸ’”
 
I'm so fed up with these politicians, they're like a whole different species 🀯. I mean, who does Mandelson think he is, knowing about Epstein's shady business and still getting the job? It's like he's above the law or something. And now voters are telling us that they don't believe any of them, because they just don't get it πŸ™„. My mum's struggling to make ends meet and she's got cancer, how can anyone in power even begin to understand what that's like? We need politicians who actually live in the real world, not some ivory tower bubble πŸ’Έ. Labour needs to wake up and start listening to the people, not just their own interests πŸ—£οΈ. It's time for a change, we need radical reform, not more of the same old empty promises πŸ’₯.
 
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