Is the UK worth the change in life style and uprooting from America?

I think the best description of Leeds & Manchester from a political standpoint is 'socialist'.

The trade union movement was exceptionally strong in these areas, and that is their cultural heritage.  Manchester was hugely important in the development of socialism, trade unions and communism. Margaret Thatcher is hated in parts of the North (and parts of Wales / Scotland).  Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx wrote the communist manifesto in a Manchester library in 1848.

Wealthy outlying areas can be exceptions, but much of the old industrial heartland of the north of England is proudly 'blue collar' and still retains a healthy dislike of the wealthy land owning part of the conservative party, and capitalism, and tends towards being pro-NHS, pro-Welfare state and quite anti-Corporate.

Politics in England are generally a private affair though, asking who somebody voted for is quite personal question. We do not tend to mix religion and politics either. You will notice differences in the culture in different parts of Britain, but this is not really connected to politics.

I adore Manchester, and miss living there, it is a vibrant city with a rich history.

Thanks for posting all this!  I wanted to turn up & explain similar, but I've not had the time & you've done such a good job - now I don't have to! 

Another reason (of many) why I  The North!

Those of us who live in the south don't feel the need to be so rah-rah-rah. We just know it's better down here. 

Some really good discussions. I'm curious to know if the Manchester, Leeds area has a certain political demographic similar to how the northeast states has a different political persuasion compared to the southeast states? Is the Manchester ,Leeds area conservative or more moderate or liberal?

What you are doing is comparing a State in the US to a city or town in the UK. I'm sure even in the most Republican or Democrat states in the US there are areas that are predominantly the other way.

Here we have "safe" seats where you would be unlikely to get any other result, I live in Barnsley in Yorkshire, a predominantly blue-collar town, historically mining, it has 3  parliamentary constituencies, so 3 MP's and they are all safe Labour seats, but drill down further and look at local council elections and there is one area that always returns Conservative councillors. Go elsewhere and you will find safe Conservative seats.

Generally speaking - the south of England is more Conservative, with the exception of many east London boroughs, the north is more Labour. Scotland only has 1 Conservative MP.

They react in about 20 milliseconds.  You can test them and you are supposed to do so every month when you do your smoke detector. They do have them in the UK, but for some reason they aren't mandatory but I think this is changing. They have been around for over 20 years in the US.  

They aren't mandatory in that existing installations have to be changed, however, if you want any electrical work doing it is mandatory for this to be done. We had a new kitchen fitted so it needed power points putting in for appliances, they wouldn't fit the kitchen without us having a new fuse board put in. It's a pain at times when a light bulb blowing trips the fuse though when you came in when it was dark!

Generally speaking - the south of England is more Conservative, with the exception of many east London boroughs, the north is more Labour. Scotland only has 1 Conservative MP.

You're right, but as you've also said - it's a bit more complex situation than that usually

My MP (for the St. Ives area) is a Lib-Dem. Truro's is a Tory. However, the mayor of Truro is a member of the Green Party.

Go figure! 

Ksand very nice of you to provide a detailed outline of the political map in the UK. It was interesting and informative. I think maybe one of the nice things about my potential departure from the United States is not having to care so much about US politics. Elections in America matter a great deal because the occupant in the White House and other governing bodies has far reaching power. It would seem that a political party in the UK for the lack of a better word, generic. The Tories might be as pro health care as the Labor Party? If they all are so similar in policy I imagine it must not be as risky in supporting one political party versus any other mainstream party in the uk. That is very different from America.

What you will find is many people in Britain take more of an interest in US politics than vice-versa. And you will find that predominantly those people are more in favour of the Democrat candidate.
Also, I think there is something here about who others support, and i would not say they are similar in policy. To us the US are similar in policy mainly because they seem to take the same stance on foreign policy, but they are big differences here.

I would disagree with the poster that said they are all right-wing here.....they might have shifted toward the right but they are to the left of both parties in the US. But from a US perspective they see our parties as left wing. Particularly on social issues.....even the Conservative leadership are looking at gay marriage proposals, back the current abortion limits etc. Yes there are many in the grass roots that take a more US style conservative approach to those issues but they aren't in the mainstream and they are not seen as political issues like they are in the US.

What does happen is that people generally don't discuss it. You might get discussion on different topics and from those views could take a judgement on who someone supports but its rare that people just come out and openly say which side they take. With friends we tend not to discuss politics, occasionally things come up but not often....the saying over here I recall was "there are 2 things you shouldn't talk about - politics and religion", and in the main thats what happens, they are seen as issues where people have strong opinions either side and you can fall out, well I don't want to fall out with my friends so the subjects rarely come up. Although I know that with my best friend we have similar political views there are areas where we would disagree.

You're right, but as you've also said - it's a bit more complex situation than that usually

My MP (for the St. Ives area) is a Lib-Dem. Truro's is a Tory. However, the mayor of Truro is a member of the Green Party.

Go figure! 

Thats because people will vote at a local level on more local issues. I voted Labour in the last general election, I've voted Lib Dem at a local level. I would vote Green locally if we had a candidate.

Another reason (of many) why I  Smitten The North!

Those of us who live in the south don't feel the need to be so rah-rah-rah. We just know it's better down here.  Wink

Ppff, you're all southerners!  

Ppff, you're all southerners!  

 

Lol, there is more of a North South divide than a political one!

Ppff, you're all southerners!  

But you're North of The North - Scotland is another universe entirely!  Racheeeee and I are Northerners. 

But you're North of The North - Scotland is another universe entirely!  Racheeeee and I are Northerners. 

Yeah, we are proper reet local Northerners.

Those of us who live in the south don't feel the need to be so rah-rah-rah. We just know it's better down here. 

Ppff, you're all southerners!  

 
Heheheh you're a bit south of me DrSuper, but bound4orkney would call me a southerner - and I live in the North Pole with the reindeer

But you're North of The North - Scotland is another universe entirely!  Racheeeee and I are Northerners.  

Funny though, I think of the North of England as the Newcastle area, but I think of Yorkshire and Manchester, etc as the middle, even though that's the 'north'

Meanwhile, in South Wales, man, its warm down here this week!  I'm boiling!  It's like summer in the North Pole.  

Funny though, I think of the North of England as the Newcastle area, but I think of Yorkshire and Manchester, etc as the middle, even though that's the 'north'

A Londoner would say anything north of Watford Gap!  I go with Stuart Maconie's definition (Pies & Prejudice), The North begins with a line drawn through Crewe.  Below that is the Midlands.  And above The North is Scotland!