UK Politics
General Discussion for politics in the UK.
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I was looking at some announcement by labour on social media, nearly all the comments are about how we need corbyn back to win... No irony.
"Corbyn" was a rallying cry for those of us who wanted change. For a brief moment back then there was some hope that Labour would step up with some progressive policies. Lots on the Left haven't got over it and still cling on to the idea of "Corbyn" in the absence of another credible Left leader. What's funny is that Corbyn's policies were always relatively centrist and social-democratic rather than socialist. But they look pretty extreme now compared to Starmer's Tory-aping.
I voted for Corbyn to be leader, twice, but even I can admit that credible is doing a lot of heavy lifting there.
He lost twice, valiantly in 2017, and horrifically in 2019. That second loss often ignored or excuses by people who continue to support him.
Yes the establishment was against him, but that's the same for any Labour leader, let's not forget that Miliband was crucified over a bacon sandwich of all things.
The frustrating reality is that the UK, specifically middle England, are bootlickers. It takes them to feel considerable pain before they'll stop voting Tory, but they also need to feel safe in doing so. Corbyn wasn't seen as that, even if ironically his policies would have actually made them safer.
Agreed. But the actual numbers that voted for Corbyn-led Labour in 2019 are less catastrophic when stripped of the rhetoric of "landslides" (10.2 million votes for Labour and 13.9 for Tories). The first past the post system we have exaggerated a Tory win when a majority of voters actually voted against the Tories (57% of the vote).
It can't be ignored that the Labour Right and party machine were actively undermining Corbyn at the time. There were even party officials who told each other they'd prefer a Tory win rather than Corbyn as PM.
Also can't be ignored that Brexit had a distorting effect on the 2019 election and Corbyn handled it disgracefully.
The point is none of that matters because it was a given before hand.
FPTP is fucked, absolutely, the Tories will never change it, and Labour can only change it if they a) get elected, and b) get elected with it in the manifesto.