http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/sep/20/ed-vulliamy-jeremy-corbyn-observer-editorial
beerhoi74.says in the comments section to this article:
"I hope Corbyn is just a blip and we can return to the centre soon"
That is the problem. It would not be a "return to the centre". It would be a return to the same old policies from the same old people who, with a few exceptions like minimum wage and child benefits, have done nothing for working people and their families or the sick or the disabled or pensioners in this country through successive Labour governments for decades. It would be a return to "top down" politics where "policies", many of which neither the membership of the party or just as importantly the public, agree with or support (that is why we lost two successive election). It would be a return to the "divine right" of the Parliamentary Labour Party of career politicians to sit in their Westminster bubble enjoying the privileges of "the Club" and essentially ignore the party members, except of course when they are taken out of the box at election times and expected to perform miracles to get the Labour party candidate elected. It would be a return to party policy being essentially the same policy as the Conservatives, but just wrapped in a different coloured wrapper and presented in a different shaped box. It would be a return to the response from people on many doorsteps around the country that "You are all the same when you get elected". A devastating comment, all the more devastating because they are completely right and the party worker at their door has no response to the criticism.
I have no desire or inclination to rerun to the "good old days" of the center. There is nothing there except further humiliation for the Labour party, and the certainty of continuing electoral defeat.
Anyway, how much of what Corbyn argues do most voters disagree with, if they stop to think? Do people approve of bewildering, high tariffs set by the cartel of energy companies, while thousands of elderly people die each winter of cold-related diseases? Do students and parents from middle- and low-income families want tuition fees?
Do people like paying ludicrous fares for signal-failure, delays and overcrowding on inept railways? Do people urge tax evasion by multinationals and billionaires, which they then subsidise with cuts to the NHS? Post-cold war, who exactly are we supposed to kill en masse with these expensive nuclear missiles? What’s so good about the things Corbyn wants to drastically change?
Our pessimistic take on Corbyn let our readers down (
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| Jeremy Corbyn in his first PMQ's (Photograph: Reuters) |
beerhoi74.says in the comments section to this article:
"I hope Corbyn is just a blip and we can return to the centre soon"
That is the problem. It would not be a "return to the centre". It would be a return to the same old policies from the same old people who, with a few exceptions like minimum wage and child benefits, have done nothing for working people and their families or the sick or the disabled or pensioners in this country through successive Labour governments for decades. It would be a return to "top down" politics where "policies", many of which neither the membership of the party or just as importantly the public, agree with or support (that is why we lost two successive election). It would be a return to the "divine right" of the Parliamentary Labour Party of career politicians to sit in their Westminster bubble enjoying the privileges of "the Club" and essentially ignore the party members, except of course when they are taken out of the box at election times and expected to perform miracles to get the Labour party candidate elected. It would be a return to party policy being essentially the same policy as the Conservatives, but just wrapped in a different coloured wrapper and presented in a different shaped box. It would be a return to the response from people on many doorsteps around the country that "You are all the same when you get elected". A devastating comment, all the more devastating because they are completely right and the party worker at their door has no response to the criticism.
I have no desire or inclination to rerun to the "good old days" of the center. There is nothing there except further humiliation for the Labour party, and the certainty of continuing electoral defeat.
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| Ed vulliamy |
Anyway, how much of what Corbyn argues do most voters disagree with, if they stop to think? Do people approve of bewildering, high tariffs set by the cartel of energy companies, while thousands of elderly people die each winter of cold-related diseases? Do students and parents from middle- and low-income families want tuition fees?
Do people like paying ludicrous fares for signal-failure, delays and overcrowding on inept railways? Do people urge tax evasion by multinationals and billionaires, which they then subsidise with cuts to the NHS? Post-cold war, who exactly are we supposed to kill en masse with these expensive nuclear missiles? What’s so good about the things Corbyn wants to drastically change?
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