Labour leadership
- Thread starter oryx
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imposs1904
Thread Killa'
No, just four and a half years.
Favelado
J'adore South Shore
Would certainly be an effective contraceptive.
danny la rouge
More like *fanny* la rouge!
I don't think it's bollocks. You have to remember that despite all the talk of social media radicalising people (eg the Scottish indyref), less than a quarter of the UK population uses Twitter (15 million according to Twitter's last announcement), and 40% of those just use it as a curated newsfeed, rather than taking part in any debate. There are no figures for how many are just following mainstream media sources, or perhaps no current affairs at all. (Twitter use is double the total daily newspaper circulation figures, mind you).
But the point is that what was accepted allowable media debate prior to the GE campaign was only a very narrow band of pro-austerity opinion. BBC commentators like Nick Robinson would say "of course" we had to "tighten our belts" and so on. When the extended size TV leaders' debates put anti-austerity rhetoric on people's TV screens, that meant that this kind of talk at least had to be responded to by the neoliberal establishment. Austerity was no longer the only way.
Of course what Corbyn and others are actually proposing, beyond the rhetoric, doesn't deviate that much from the accepted wisdom. For all his Keynesian talk, he still accepts the "need" to reduce the deficit.
But what matters is that now when reporters such as Nick Robinson says on Twitter "nobody supports renationalising the power companies", people can reply "except the public". Because even though it was never reported even by the supposed progressive* press (*and there's a whole thread on how true that is, but the short answer is: not at all) like the Guardian, right during the period of the mainstream media blackout, even a majority of Tory voters supported public ownership of the power companies, railways, and so on. It was just never considered part of the hegemonic "common sense", so it never entered into mainstream media debate. Now at least it does.
Not that Corbyn himself has brought this about; he's just part of a trend. (The Jacobin article linked to further up thread is good on this).
I can't speak for the people you know, but the people I know who are enjoying the spectacle mostly remain just as convinced that there is no parliamentary road to socialism, and that even if there was, neither Corbyn nor the SNP would be it.
Did he sign the Euston Manifesto, attend meetings?
The SWP have been band-wagoning since the early 90's if not before, jumping on new social movements, events, etc, its not new, though this time they won't get the 'dividend'. If J/C and co provide some opposition in parliament(but also without) then for me that is significant.
danny la rouge
More like *fanny* la rouge!
Saying "paleo" doesn't excuse you from making a coherent point.
There were over 1600 in Newcastle, in mid August, I reckon that's wider than the 'left' there, by a mile
nino_savatte
No pasaran!
Exactly. Where some people see inevitable disappointment, I see opportunities. Politics doesn't begin or end at Westminster.
frogwoman
No amount of cajolery...
How do you know they were all from newcastle?
danny la rouge
More like *fanny* la rouge!
They were wearing T Shirts even though it was raining.
nino_savatte
No pasaran!
Who?
Hodges.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
are you saying the total collapse of labour would be a victory?
nino_savatte
No pasaran!
I had no idea he was a Eustonite. I thought he was just a common or garden Blairite lickspittle.
Louis MacNeice
Autumn Journalist
Not being able to spell socialist doesn't help either.
Cheers - Louis MacNeice
nino_savatte
No pasaran!
I remember pbman deliberately misspelling the word "socialist" all the time. Maybe Diamond's got pbman disease or maybe he's just a tool.
nino_savatte
No pasaran!
No, he isn't a Eustonite, but he is involved with Progress in spite of allegedly tearing up his Labour membership card. That makes him an infiltrator.
newbie
undisambiguated
it's only the ones who should have 'better politics' you're sneering at, not the company they're now keeping? That's alright then, it's self-evidently better they should stick with those who properly self define as radicals, heads held high, purity intact. That's worked so well. Listening to, and engaging with, other people is bad and has unpredictable consequences.
Hmm... I was agreeing with you but perhaps that's some kind of kryptonite in your universe...
Not really. But that does seem to be on the cards and who knows what could happen given the increasing fracturing of the traditional British political landscape.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
I want one to go with my Oleg
Sorry im sure hes a great bloke and everything but people have fucking gone nuts.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
i was too busy thinking about the diverse nature of his support.
The Left last night, look at all the banners, etc.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
do you remember at the hieght of Turtlemania you could get Turtle coins? they were great. Maybe a Jez 5 pound coin from the mint.
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