The Guardian Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==Political stance and editorial opinion== Founded by textile traders and merchants, in its early years ''The Guardian'' had a reputation as "an organ of the middle class",<ref>[[Frederick Engels|Engels, Frederick]] (1973), ''The Condition of the Working Class in England'', Progress, p. 109.</ref> or in the words of C. P. Scott's son Ted, "a paper that will remain bourgeois to the last".<ref name="Hunter2003">{{cite book|first=Ian |last=Hunter|title=Malcolm Muggeridge: A Life|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oaEfbtzqEUwC&pg=PA74|year=2003|publisher=Regent College Publishing|isbn=978-1-57383-259-5|page=74}}</ref> Associated at first with the [[Little Circle]] and hence with [[classical liberalism]] as expressed by the [[Whigs (British political party)|Whigs]] and later by the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]], its political orientation underwent a decisive change after [[World War II]], leading to a gradual alignment with [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] and the [[political left]] in general. The ''[[Scott Trust Limited|Scott Trust]]'' describes one of its "core purposes" to be "to secure the financial and editorial independence of the ''Guardian'' in perpetuity: as a quality national newspaper without party affiliation; remaining faithful to its liberal tradition".<ref name=GST1 /><ref name="Affiliation">{{cite news|title=Political affiliation|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/nov/17/political-affiliation-guardian-observer|access-date=19 April 2016|work=The Guardian|date=16 November 2008|language=en-GB|archive-date=26 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426233726/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/nov/17/political-affiliation-guardian-observer|url-status=live}}</ref> The paper's readership is generally on the mainstream left of British political opinion: a [[MORI]] poll taken between April and June 2000 showed that 80 per cent of ''Guardian'' readers were Labour Party voters;<ref name="International Socialism 2003"/> according to another MORI poll taken in 2005, 48 per cent of ''Guardian'' readers were Labour voters and 34 per cent [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] voters.<ref name="Ipsos MORI"/> The term "''Guardian'' reader" can be used to imply a stereotype of [[social liberalism|liberal]], left-wing or "[[politically correct]]" views.<ref name="Guardian2003158" /> Although the paper is often considered to be "linked inextricably" to the Labour Party,<ref name="Affiliation" /> three of ''The Guardian''{{'s}} four leader writers joined the more centrist [[Social Democratic Party (UK)|Social Democratic Party]] on its foundation in 1981. The paper was enthusiastic in its support for [[Tony Blair]] in his successful bid to lead the Labour Party,<ref>{{cite news|title=Labour: the choice for the future|work=The Guardian|location=London|date=2 July 1994|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1994/jul/02/labour.uk|access-date=18 December 2020|archive-date=4 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104213446/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1994/jul/02/labour.uk|url-status=live}}</ref> and to be elected Prime Minister.<ref>{{cite news|title=A political earthquake: The Tory loss is cataclysmic; Labour's win historic|work=The Guardian|location=London|date=2 May 1997|author=Leader|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1997/may/02/electionspast.comment|access-date=13 December 2016|archive-date=11 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170411221012/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1997/may/02/electionspast.comment|url-status=live}}</ref> On 19 January 2003, two months before the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], an ''Observer'' Editorial said: "Military intervention in the Middle East holds many dangers. But if we want a lasting peace it may be the only option. ... War with Iraq may yet not come, but, conscious of the potentially terrifying responsibility resting with the British Government, we find ourselves supporting the current commitment to a possible use of force."<ref>{{Cite news|date=19 January 2003|title=Iraq: the case for decisive action|url=http://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/jan/19/leaders.politics|access-date=18 December 2020|work=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=18 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201218151946/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2003/jan/19/leaders.politics|url-status=live}}</ref> ''The Guardian'', however, opposed the war, along with the ''[[Daily Mirror]]'' and ''[[The Independent]]''.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/mar/17/mondaymediasection.Iraqandthemedia| title=They've lost the battle, will they support the war?| newspaper=The Guardian| date=17 March 2003| last1=Greenslade| first1=Roy| access-date=7 April 2018| archive-date=7 April 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407183239/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/mar/17/mondaymediasection.Iraqandthemedia| url-status=live}}</ref> Then ''Guardian'' features editor Ian Katz asserted in 2004 that "it is no secret we are a centre-left newspaper".<ref name="undecidedvoters">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/oct/16/uselections2004.usa2 |title=World writes to undecided voters |access-date=13 July 2008 |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=16 October 2004 |last=Wells |first=Matt |archive-date=4 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404065115/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/oct/16/uselections2004.usa2 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2008, ''Guardian'' columnist [[Jackie Ashley]] said that editorial contributors were a mix of "right-of-centre [[Libertarianism|libertarians]], greens, Blairites, Brownites, Labourite but less enthusiastic Brownites, etc," and that the newspaper was "clearly left of centre and vaguely progressive". She also said that "you can be absolutely certain that come the next general election, ''The Guardian''{{'s}} stance will not be dictated by the editor, still less any foreign proprietor (it helps that there isn't one) but will be the result of vigorous debate within the paper".<ref name="Guardianistas">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/apr/29/aretheguardianistasrats|title=Are the Guardianistas rats?|access-date=13 July 2008|work=The Guardian|location=London|date=29 April 2008|last=Ashley|first=Jackie|publisher=Guardian News and Media|archive-date=13 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413130903/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/apr/29/aretheguardianistasrats|url-status=live}}</ref> The paper's comment and opinion pages, though often written by centre-left contributors such as [[Polly Toynbee]], have allowed some space for right-of-centre voices such as [[Max Hastings|Sir Max Hastings]] and [[Michael Gove]]. Since an editorial in 2000, ''The Guardian'' has favoured abolition of the British monarchy.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/dec/06/monarchy.guardianleaders|title=Magic or not, let in the daylight|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=14 November 2013|location=London|date=6 December 2000|archive-date=10 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510175830/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/dec/06/monarchy.guardianleaders|url-status=live}}</ref> "I write for the ''Guardian''," said Max Hastings in 2005,<ref>{{cite news|title=Smaller size, higher brow? |first=Mark |last=Seddon |work=New Statesman |location=London |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/200502210005 |date=21 February 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100312023834/http://www.newstatesman.com/200502210005 |archive-date=12 March 2010}}</ref> "because it is read by the new establishment," reflecting the paper's then-growing influence. In the run-up to the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]], following a meeting of the editorial staff,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/apr/23/election-editorial-comment-guardian|title=The Guardian's election editorial meeting: report|work=The Guardian|date=23 April 2010|last=Seaton|first=Matt|location=London|publisher=Guardian News and Media|access-date=13 December 2016|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202121710/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/apr/23/election-editorial-comment-guardian|url-status=live}}</ref> the paper declared its support for the Liberal Democrats, due in particular, to the party's stance on [[electoral reform]]. The paper suggested [[tactical voting]] to prevent a Conservative victory, given Britain's [[First-past-the-post voting|first-past-the-post]] electoral system.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/apr/30/the-liberal-moment-has-come |title=General election 2010: The liberal moment has come |work=The Guardian |date=30 April 2010 |location=London |access-date=25 May 2010 |publisher=Guardian News and Media |author=Editorial |archive-date=15 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215223017/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/apr/30/the-liberal-moment-has-come |url-status=live }}</ref> At [[2015 United Kingdom general election|the 2015 election]], the paper switched its support to the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]]. The paper argued that Britain needed a new direction and Labour "speaks with more urgency than its rivals on social justice, standing up to predatory capitalism, on investment for growth, on reforming and strengthening the public realm, Britain's place in Europe and international development".<ref name="lab2015">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/01/guardian-view-britain-needs-new-direction-needs-labour |title=The Guardian view: Britain needs a new direction, Britain needs Labour |work=The Guardian |date=1 May 2015 |location=London |access-date=1 May 2015 |publisher=Guardian News and Media |author=Editorial |archive-date=7 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170407091043/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/01/guardian-view-britain-needs-new-direction-needs-labour |url-status=live }}</ref> Assistant Editor Michael White, in discussing media self-censorship in March 2011, says: "I have always sensed liberal, middle class ill-ease in going after stories about immigration, legal or otherwise, about welfare fraud or the less attractive tribal habits of the working class, which is more easily ignored altogether. Toffs, including royal ones, Christians, especially popes, governments of Israel, and [[Republican Party (United States)|U.S. Republicans]] are more straightforward targets."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/2011/mar/09/media-self-censorship-problem-turkey|title=Media self-censorship: not just a problem for Turkey|work=The Guardian|date=9 March 2011|last=White|first=Michael|location=London|publisher=Guardian News and Media|access-date=13 December 2016|archive-date=10 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510174250/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/2011/mar/09/media-self-censorship-problem-turkey|url-status=live}}</ref> In a 2013 interview for [[NPR]], ''The Guardian''{{'}}s Latin America correspondent [[Rory Carroll]] stated that many editors at ''The Guardian'' believed and continue to believe that they should support [[Hugo ChΓ‘vez]] "because he was a standard-bearer for the left".<ref name="NPR2013">{{cite news|title='Comandante' Chavez Still Revered By Some, Despite Failings|url=https://www.npr.org/2013/04/10/176706001/comandante-hugo-chavez-still-revered-despite-his-failings|access-date=11 March 2015|agency=[[NPR]]|date=10 April 2013|archive-date=1 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150401121458/http://www.npr.org/2013/04/10/176706001/comandante-hugo-chavez-still-revered-despite-his-failings|url-status=live}}</ref> In the [[2015 United Kingdom general election]], it endorsed the Labour Party.<ref>{{cite news |date= 1 May 2015 |title= The Guardian view: Britain needs a new direction, Britain needs Labour |url= https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/01/guardian-view-britain-needs-new-direction-needs-labour |work= The Guardian |access-date= 22 November 2021 |archive-date= 7 April 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170407091043/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/01/guardian-view-britain-needs-new-direction-needs-labour |url-status= live }}</ref> In the [[2015 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|2015 Labour Party leadership election]], ''The Guardian'' supported Blairite candidate [[Yvette Cooper]] and was critical of left-winger [[Jeremy Corbyn]], the successful candidate.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/13/guardian-view-labour-leadership-choice-yvette-cooper-jeremy-corbyn|title=The Guardian view on Labour's choice: Corbyn has shaped the campaign, but Cooper can shape the future|author=Editorial|date=13 August 2015|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=13 December 2016|archive-date=10 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170310061023/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/13/guardian-view-labour-leadership-choice-yvette-cooper-jeremy-corbyn|url-status=live}}</ref> These positions were criticised by the ''[[Morning Star (British newspaper)|Morning Star]]'', which accused ''The Guardian'' of being conservative.<ref name="MS1">{{cite news|last1=Sinclair|first1=Ian|title=Guardian on the Wrong Side of History Over Corbyn|url=https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-8193-Guardian-on-the-wrong-side-of-history-over-Corbyn|access-date=30 March 2016|work=Morning Star|date=19 October 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410185433/https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-8193-Guardian-on-the-wrong-side-of-history-over-Corbyn|archive-date=10 April 2016}}</ref>{{undue weight inline|reason=Is a rival newspaper's take due on this kind of detail?|date=March 2023}} Although the majority of ''Guardian'' columnists were against Corbyn winning, [[Owen Jones]], [[Seumas Milne]], and [[George Monbiot]] wrote supportive articles about him. Despite the critical position of the paper in general, ''The Guardian'' endorsed the Labour Party while Corbyn was its leader in the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/ng-interactive/2017/jun/02/the-guardian-view-on-our-vote-its-labour|title=The Guardian view on the election: it's Labour|last=Editorial|work=The Guardian|access-date=19 September 2018|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=19 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919212931/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/ng-interactive/2017/jun/02/the-guardian-view-on-our-vote-its-labour|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019]] general elections β although in both cases they endorsed a vote for opposition parties other than Labour, such as the Liberal Democrats and the [[Scottish National Party]] in seats where Labour did not stand a chance.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/ng-interactive/2019/dec/10/the-guardian-view-on-general-election-2019-a-fleeting-chance-to-stop-boris-johnson-in-his-tracks|title=The Guardian view on general election 2019 A fleeting chance to stop Boris Johnson in his tracks|last=Editorial|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 September 2021|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=12 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912225720/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/ng-interactive/2019/dec/10/the-guardian-view-on-general-election-2019-a-fleeting-chance-to-stop-boris-johnson-in-his-tracks|url-status=live}}</ref> In the [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum]], ''The Guardian'' endorsed remaining in the EU,<ref>{{cite news |date= 9 May 2016 |title= The Guardian view on the EU debate: David Cameron makes a serious case |url= https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/09/the-guardian-view-on-the-eu-debate-david-cameron-makes-a-serious-case |work= The Guardian |access-date= 22 November 2021 |archive-date= 22 November 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211122165546/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/09/the-guardian-view-on-the-eu-debate-david-cameron-makes-a-serious-case |url-status= live }}</ref> and in the [[2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|2019 European election]] invited its readers to vote for pro-EU candidates, without endorsing specific parties.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/17/the-guardian-view-on-the-eu-elections-a-chance-to-reshape-our-politics|title=The Guardian view on the EU elections: a chance to reshape our politics {{!}} Editorial|last=Editorial|date=17 May 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=23 May 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=22 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522193854/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/17/the-guardian-view-on-the-eu-elections-a-chance-to-reshape-our-politics|url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2022, [[Suella Braverman]] speaking in Parliament blamed "Guardian-reading, [[veganism|tofu-eating]] [[woke]]rati" for disruptive [[Just Stop Oil]] protests.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2022/oct/18/suella-braverman-blames-guardian-reading-tofu-eating-wokerati-for-disruptive-protests-video | title=Suella Braverman blames 'Guardian-reading, tofu-eating wokerati' for disruptive protests β video | newspaper=The Guardian | date=18 October 2022 | access-date=4 January 2023 | archive-date=5 January 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230105110541/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2022/oct/18/suella-braverman-blames-guardian-reading-tofu-eating-wokerati-for-disruptive-protests-video | url-status=live }}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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