---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My mum was Labour-voting, but wanted us…"
description: "\"My mum was Labour-voting, but wanted us to know we were important. Basically, everyone's equal, but you, my children, are a bit better.\" — Martin Freeman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/martin-freeman-1860_basically_my-mum-was-labour-voting-but-wanted-us-t_22752.png"
---

#  My mum was Labour-voting, but wanted us to know we were…

![“My mum was Labour-voting, but wanted us to know we were important. Basically, everyone's equal, but you, my children, are a bit better.” quote by Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/martin-freeman-1860_basically_my-mum-was-labour-voting-but-wanted-us-t_22752.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/martin-freeman-1860_basically_my-mum-was-labour-voting-but-wanted-us-t_22752.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/martin-freeman-1860_basically_my-mum-was-labour-voting-but-wanted-us-t_22752.png)

> “My mum was Labour-voting, but wanted us to know we were important. Basically, everyone's equal, but you, my children, are a bit better.”

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker reflects on a paradoxical upbringing where egalitarian values coexist with subtle favoritism toward one's own family, highlighting the tension between universal equality and personal bias.

**In simple terms:** Family love can coexist with claims of equality.

Key Takeaway

Equality claims often mask personal preferences.

Themes

Family dynamics Equality vs. favoritism Social values Paradox Parenting Bias

Mood

Reflective Wry Introspective

Type

Anecdote Observation Social commentary

When to use this quote

- Explaining personal bias to children
- Discussing political ideology at home
- Reflecting on upbringing

Key Concepts

Social hierarchy Moral inconsistency

Practical Applications

- Sociology lectures
- Parenting workshops

Questions to Reflect On

- How do we reconcile universal equality with natural familial bias?
- Can claiming equality be genuine when we prioritize our own?

A Different Perspective

null

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Labour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labour/) [Mum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mum/)

## Related quotes

> [Coming from a Labour-voting family, I grew up with a clear understanding of the tribal nature of Labour politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-williamson/coming-from-a-labour-voting-family-i-grew-up-with-a-clear/)

[Gavin Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-williamson/)

> [My ideals told me that men and women could both go out to work and be truly equal. My children told me something more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pearson/my-ideals-told-me-that-men-and-women-could-both-go-out-to-work-and-be/)

[Allison Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-pearson/)

> [We are all equal children before our mother; and India asks each one of us, in whatsoever role we play in the complex drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pranab-mukherjee/we-are-all-equal-children-before-our-mother-and-india-asks-each-one/)

[Pranab Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pranab-mukherjee/)

> [We cannot say to one couple that their love is deserving of marriage and to another that their love should only be called a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-gregoire/we-cannot-say-to-one-couple-that-their-love-is-deserving-of-marriage/)

[Christine Gregoire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-gregoire/)

> [Whenever someone says to my mum: 'How's your son doing?' she says: 'Which one?' If you're a parent, you're not going to go: 'Oh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/whenever-someone-says-to-my-mum-how-s-your-son-doing-she-says-which/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [I don't feel I'm as good a mum as my mum was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/i-don-t-feel-i-m-as-good-a-mum-as-my-mum-was/)

[Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/)

> [I sound like my mum and I like that. I like that I sound like where I'm from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/i-sound-like-my-mum-and-i-like-that-i-like-that-i-sound-like-where-i/)

[Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/)

> [One of the first houses we lived in was like out of a fairy story. We had a stream that ran through our garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-clarke/one-of-the-first-houses-we-lived-in-was-like-out-of-a-fairy-story-we/)

[Emilia Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-clarke/)

> [Nothing in the world that I could compare with you MUM. You are the best LOVE YOU…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-in-the-world-that-i-could-compare-with-you-mum-you-are-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Mum once told Dad that vices are only vices when looked at through the frame of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/mum-once-told-dad-that-vices-are-only-vices-when-looked-at-through/)

[Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/)

> [I'd like to say that I'm a rock star, but I'm not - I'm honestly more of a relationship kind of guy. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/i-d-like-to-say-that-i-m-a-rock-star-but-i-m-not-i-m-honestly-more-of/)

[Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/)

> [My mum's from Yorkshire and my parents aren't snotty or posh - they're very hard workers, both of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/my-mum-s-from-yorkshire-and-my-parents-aren-t-snotty-or-posh-they-re/)

[Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/)

> [I was painfully shy, so my aunt suggested to my mum that me and my brother go to Stage 84, a performing arts school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-cooke/i-was-painfully-shy-so-my-aunt-suggested-to-my-mum-that-me-and-my/)

[Christian Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-cooke/)

> [My dad's family were political and he was always a theatrical creature, whereas my mum is really musical and her father was the touring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/my-dad-s-family-were-political-and-he-was-always-a-theatrical/)

[Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/)

> [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/)

[Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/)

## More by Martin Freeman

> [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [I would wear a full-length cape if I could get away with it - I do love a good swirl in a fog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-would-wear-a-full-length-cape-if-i-could-get-away-with-it-i-do-love/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [I think people just like seeing friendship. I think people like seeing people who just drive each other up the wall, but at same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-think-people-just-like-seeing-friendship-i-think-people-like-seeing/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [I hadn't grown up with 'The Hobbit;' I hadn't grown up with 'Lord of The Rings,' anything like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-hadn-t-grown-up-with-the-hobbit-i-hadn-t-grown-up-with-lord-of-the/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [Americans assume all British people have at least one servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/americans-assume-all-british-people-have-at-least-one-servant/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [I could say, 'I want to play a French-African humpback,' but I probably won't get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-could-say-i-want-to-play-a-french-african-humpback-but-i-probably/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [We can all look on the Internet and go, 'He hates me! Oh, but she loves me. Oh, but he hates me,' you know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/we-can-all-look-on-the-internet-and-go-he-hates-me-oh-but-she-loves/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [You absorb 2,000 years of history just by being near the Thames.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/you-absorb-2-000-years-of-history-just-by-being-near-the-thames/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [I think when see you a character on the screen who is actually being touched by the world, and the stuff is actually landing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-think-when-see-you-a-character-on-the-screen-who-is-actually-being/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [I can spot someone with similar fashion sense to me a mile off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-can-spot-someone-with-similar-fashion-sense-to-me-a-mile-off/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [I don't like affectation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-don-t-like-affectation/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [I don't write anything off without reading a script, and if it's a good one, I'll consider it, whether it's for $20 or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-don-t-write-anything-off-without-reading-a-script-and-if-it-s-a/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [I think I'm less gloomy than I used to be - I've got a very supportive other half.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-think-i-m-less-gloomy-than-i-used-to-be-i-ve-got-a-very-supportive/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [As soon as you get two actors in a room and they're locking eyes, they're doing a scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/as-soon-as-you-get-two-actors-in-a-room-and-they-re-locking-eyes-they/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [Benedict (Cumberbatch, who is playing Sherlock) looks amazing. He's still got a Sherlockian silhouette, with a large overcoat, but in a classic cut. Watson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/benedict-cumberbatch-who-is-playing-sherlock-looks-amazing-he-s-still/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

[Explore all 203 Martin Freeman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

## More Basically quotes

> [When I graduated from Brown, I had a very limited conception of jobs, careers, and what I wanted to do. Basically, I figured I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/when-i-graduated-from-brown-i-had-a-very-limited-conception-of-jobs/)

[Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/)

> [You basically have a group of four spies who are chosen for a mission they feel for the fact of how competent they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-leblanc/you-basically-have-a-group-of-four-spies-who-are-chosen-for-a-mission/)

[Matt LeBlanc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-leblanc/)

> [I think we should have basically the same tax policy that Germany, Japan, the U.K., everybody else has, which is a tax rate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-think-we-should-have-basically-the-same-tax-policy-that-germany/)

[Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/)

> [I can't say that I wouldn't prefer to make small films, basically because I think they are probably more interesting in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-can-t-say-that-i-wouldn-t-prefer-to-make-small-films-basically/)

[John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/)

> [Basically, Pizza Hut just backed out on the ad agency at the last minute. They got fired and we got fired. It was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-ween/basically-pizza-hut-just-backed-out-on-the-ad-agency-at-the-last/)

[Gene Ween](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-ween/)

> [When I heard that the bees were in trouble, the fact that they're disappearing and not coming back to the hive, which is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-schwartzberg/when-i-heard-that-the-bees-were-in-trouble-the-fact-that-they-re/)

[Louie Schwartzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-schwartzberg/)

> [It would be amazing if we were just basically judged on the merits of what we do, but we're not. That's not part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aspen-ladd/it-would-be-amazing-if-we-were-just-basically-judged-on-the-merits-of/)

[Aspen Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aspen-ladd/)

> [In my own case, I'm an artist, and I'm really interested in expanding the vocabulary of human action, and basically empowering people through interactivity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/golan-levin/in-my-own-case-i-m-an-artist-and-i-m-really-interested-in-expanding/)

[Golan Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/golan-levin/)

> [Civilian law around aviation is much looser than those governing military. Civilian planes can basically fly wherever they want in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-paglen/civilian-law-around-aviation-is-much-looser-than-those-governing/)

[Trevor Paglen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-paglen/)

> [Nuclear DNA encodes all the proteins and enzymes that make you you, basically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrik-poinar/nuclear-dna-encodes-all-the-proteins-and-enzymes-that-make-you-you/)

[Hendrik Poinar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrik-poinar/)

> [“I basically have nothing to offer to others. If you think about it, I don’t even have anything to offer myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-basically-have-nothing-to-offer-to-others-if-you-think-about-it-i/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [I have been performing in the street for more than 50 years: magic for basically 60 years, and the high wire 45 years. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-petit/i-have-been-performing-in-the-street-for-more-than-50-years-magic-for/)

[Philippe Petit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-petit/)

> [Basically, I listen to voices. If they write good songs and they can sing, I'll probably like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie/basically-i-listen-to-voices-if-they-write-good-songs-and-they-can/)

[India Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie/)

> [There's something about the air and the sky and the atmosphere in the South of France that must be very conducive to work, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-collins/there-s-something-about-the-air-and-the-sky-and-the-atmosphere-in-the/)

[Joan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-collins/)

> [Ryan Murphy, he basically tries to find something that's a pulse, a pressure point in our culture, and he grabs it, and he squeezes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wittrock/ryan-murphy-he-basically-tries-to-find-something-that-s-a-pulse-a/)

[Finn Wittrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wittrock/)

Browse all 1,129 Basically quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "My mum was Labour-voting, but wanted us to know we were important. Basically, everyone's equal, but you, my children, are a bit better.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Martin Freeman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/my-mum-was-labour-voting-but-wanted-us-to-know-we-were-important/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Basically"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/my-mum-was-labour-voting-but-wanted-us-to-know-we-were-important/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/martin-freeman-1860_basically_my-mum-was-labour-voting-but-wanted-us-t_22752.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/martin-freeman-1860_basically_my-mum-was-labour-voting-but-wanted-us-t_22752.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/martin-freeman-1860_basically_my-mum-was-labour-voting-but-wanted-us-t_22752.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“My mum was Labour-voting, but wanted us to know we were important. Basically, everyone's equal, but you, my…” — Martin Freeman",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Martin Freeman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "My mum was Labour-voting, but wanted...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/my-mum-was-labour-voting-but-wanted-us-to-know-we-were-important/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/my-mum-was-labour-voting-but-wanted-us-to-know-we-were-important/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
