Jeremy Corbyn has been elected leader of the Labour party. The nay sayers will have their day and Mr Corbyn will have the opportunity to silence the doubters. Will he? Who knows but at least we shall have the benefit of real debate over the issues that concern us all and in Corbyn we have some one who will offer a radically different point of view. He says he will increase people participation in politics and he says the alienated young must be brought back into the political fold. It is clear that much of his support came from the young as well as old lefties like me.
Corbyn must modify some of his basic policy ideas if he is to unite the Labour party and he will have the very capable Tom Watson to guide him. Corbyn's and Watson's land slide victory must be seen by the old Blairite guard as a complete rejection of their values.
Some of us are very tired of the lack of real opposition to the increasingly right wing policies of the Tories and clearly, there are a lot of us.
Andy Burnham looked devastated as the leadership election results were announced. Earlier in the campaign he resembled Archie Andrews ( remember him?) with the unseen hand of Tony Blair pulling his strings as he jumped from one populist theme to another in his futile attempt to garner votes. While Archie looked gutted and could not get his face sorted, the defeated women candidates seemed much more dignified and magnanimous.
The voters sent a very clear message to Archie and his cohorts. We need an alternative view of what is ethical and decent. We need to put people before profit and we need to stop the poor paying for the damage done to the economy by the excesses of the banks. We need to look after the vulnerable much better. We need to change the way we take care of the children. We need to eliminate the need for food banks in the sixth richest country in the world. We need to fight back against Tory values so that we can take real pride in the policies of the UK.
Look how shaming European reaction to Cameron's foot dragging over the refugee crisis has become. Of course you might be one of those who say no to the refugees. I have come across some incredibly right wing views from some so called EBB fans. I would say to you that the times are changing and we must move with the times. The only way to happiness is through our determination to help the needy and equalise our society. We must restore pride in our nations and then productivity will boom. Otherwise every thing else will fail as we slip into a dark age where if a man or woman is sick or has nothing to sell, they will be isolated and considered to be with out value or merit.
I warn you now if Cameron is allowed to continue along his chosen route we will all be very sorry and some of you will have good reasons to be ashamed one day. Meanwhile Cameron seems determined to overturn hard won Trade Union rights and to undermine real democratic participation by the people. Fight back! I despise what he stands for and I despise the Lavender Tories who gave him a majority.
We shall have to wait a while to see what Corbyn really has to offer but thus far I am happy about his election to Labour Leader and the powerful message sent to the Blairites and their diluted Tory values. I look forward to more realism in politics, honesty, integrity and compassion. It is time for the old Blairite guard to put up or shut up. They are the big irrelevance right now and Jeremy, you had better deliver the goods.
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Ramblin sent me the link below to a short video by professor Hans Rosli from the Gapminder Foundation.
peace
7 comments:
Right on pal. On the day Corbyn won the leadership we got the chance for change.
Dazza
ps LFC is poor. Rogers should wise up NOW.
"The only way to happiness is through our determination to help the needy and equalise our society."
I totally agree. Serving others and pushing to do the best we can is remarkably fulfilling.
The Guardian had this from Steve Hilton, who used to work for Cameron.
"The establishment scratches its head: “How could …?” Well, let’s just check what the “serious” people have done for us lately: economic disaster with rewards for those who caused it and barely a gain for anyone else; foreign policy disaster with cack-handed interventions bringing instability and chaos; social disaster with poverty festering, family life foundering and inequality growing."
Whoops! I agree with him, too.
I hope this is a new day about new politics instead of the tired old practice of evading questions and breaking promises.
I think that's the least we will gwt from him. Just hope the media give him a bit of a chance.
Agreed and we need change across the board. The culture of media infested politics must go. Meanwhile politics is exciting again isn't it? Electability? Time will tell but lets hear proper debate and see policy which reflects the higher national aspirations.
Hi Edgar,
I do agree with Corbyn over renationalising the utilities/railways and his stance on the Iraq war. I dislike him for his stance on an abuse scandal when he was in charge of everything. As regards the refugees/migrants, all very well to take them in, but where are we going to put them all, many systems at breaking point. It's near on impossible to get an appointment with my doctor or if not her a second choice. What about our own homeless, many of whom are ex military, who risked life limb and sanity for Queen and country, yes they were lied to . Lets get them homed first then maybe consider helping the rest of the world.
Very well put (my fingers are crossed for a serious change in the establishment we vote in to run this country). Must asy I can't agree with you Galadriel. Refugees/Migrants/Housing ex soldiers - three seperate issues - Refugees are running from horrors (they would rather be in their own country) - migrants (more doctors for your local surgery perhaps - and don't forget almost everybody living in this country came as a result of migration. I mean, the Romans were here for 400 years) - homes for ex soldiers? Of course anyone who has left the armed services needs a home, but I don't see your arguement for why they should have special treatment. As an ex soldier (regulars a long time ago) and someone who has known many professional soldiers over the past few decades, I don't recall the phrase "I do it for queen and country" ever being uttered. I've known ex SAS, Marines and Para's, and they all considered themselves to be professionals doing a job, well aware that they were at the sharp end of a political stick. It's worth noting that soldiers haven't fought 'for this country' since the second world war (the Falklands doesn't count as they still don't have fuul british citizenship).
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