Jeremy Corbyn.

[pastafarian]

I've just read Corbyn's latest statement that he wants people to be able to opt out of paying taxes to support the Armed Forces. Utter madness. How will that work? How will it be policed? If there's a bomb scare in a shopping centre do those who opt out have to stay? Someone please explain that one.

id love him to have another crack at this one,opens up so many wonderful possibilities what this style of taxation could evolve into.
i would start a campaign to order the treasury not to spend any of my tax money on Croydon or scousers.

 

[BensGrandad]

I don't particularly care if he wins the labour leadership, but I dread him becoming PM with his anti-NATO and defence policy views.

He can do less harm as leader of the opposition but would he be able to keep pressure on DC, not sure he could, so DC will be happy if he wins.

 

[Bold Seagull]

At some point in the not too distant past the telegraph degenerated from being a respectable newspaper into a purveyor of 'clickbait' articles aimed at right wingers. This just the latest.

Climate change denying, tory licking baiters. Sport is still very good though.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

My understanding is he said that in relation to Kosovo in 1999 so even I would say that is a bit of a reach by the Torygraph!

One of the things about Corbyn is the press really don't have much on him. Burnham and Cooper will always suffer from the right-wing press due to being so closely attached to the last Labour government. Corbyn isn't. The hacks have to go back a long way and really scrap the barrel with Corbyn it seems; the IRA stuff, and now this, really shows how desperate they are.

 

[Bold Seagull]

One of the things about Corbyn is the press really don't have much on him. Burnham and Cooper will always suffer from the right-wing press due to being so closely attached to the last Labour government. Corbyn isn't. The hacks have to go back a long way and really scrap the barrel with Corbyn it seems; the IRA stuff, and now this, really shows how desperate they are.

It is fascinating. Corbyn is going against everything we thought we understood about politics, media spin, and having the printed press on your side. People can talk about him being unelectable, but in May if you'd have said he would be the leading Labour contender you'd have been laughed out of the room. It's almost, dare I say it, a bit exciting as we have someone completely outside the model for a political leader in modern times, and yet his popularity is surging. I don't know how anyone can call how well he'll do, because like the SNP, he's something a bit different, and no one could have predicted what happened in Scotland a few years ago.

I think the left and right are a bit fearful of him to be honest, even hardened political cynics must see a bit of a genuine bloke, even if his policies are right out there. Really exciting.

As for the economy, won't be an election topic by 2020 anyway, as clearly the wonderful Tories will have sorted everything out by then...

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It is fascinating. Corbyn is going against everything we thought we understood about politics, media spin, and having the printed press on your side. People can talk about him being unelectable, but in May if you'd have said he would be the leading Labour contender you'd have been laughed out of the room. It's almost, dare I say it, a bit exciting as we have someone completely outside the model for a political leader in modern times, and yet his popularity is surging. I don't know how anyone can call how well he'll do, because like the SNP, he's something a bit different, and no one could have predicted what happened in Scotland a few years ago.

I think the left and right are a bit fearful of him to be honest, even hardened political cynics must see a bit of a genuine bloke, even if his policies are right out there. Really exciting.

As for the economy, won't be an election topic by 2020 anyway, as clearly the wonderful Tories will have sorted everything out by then...

Good points. I agree it's really exciting and one thing which the last election did teach us (me especially ) is that politics is quite unpredictable at the moment.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Panic not, Blue one; he will never become PM.
Anyway, he hasn't won the Labour leadership yet!

I hope not, but all these predictions of non-voters coming out of woodwork to sweep him to power scare me.

 

[Castello]

I hope not, but all these predictions of non-voters coming out of woodwork to sweep him to power scare me.

why?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I hope not, but all these predictions of non-voters coming out of woodwork to sweep him to power scare me.

What's wrong with more people voting?

 

[BLOCK F]

I hope not, but all these predictions of non-voters coming out of woodwork to sweep him to power scare me.

Don't worry; thankfully there aren't sufficient Castellos, Cunning Fergi, Mustafas etc. in this country to let him become PM even if he becomes Labour leader and that is not yet certain.
That doesn't mean there is room for complacency amongst those who haven't been 'swept along' by Corbynism, but I am sure that sanity will return to the Labour Party before too long.That, or a massive split.
In the meantime, if he wins the leadership, we can look forward to a right load of fruitloops on the shadow front bench,with little or no backing from the remainder of Labour MP's, who will be busy plotting to get rid of Corbyn.
As some on NSC say, yes it may be exciting, but whether it will be good for the Labour Party as HM Official Opposition, and therefore the country as a whole, I don't think so.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

why?

What's wrong with more people voting?

Nothing wrong with more people voting. That is not the emphasis of my post.


My fear is that Corbyn will be elected and implement his dangerous anti-NATO and defence views.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Don't worry; thankfully there aren't sufficient Castellos, Cunning Fergi, Mustafas etc. in this country to let him become PM even if he becomes Labour leader and that is not yet certain.
That doesn't mean there is room for complacency amongst those who haven't been 'swept along' by Corbynism, but I am sure that sanity will return to the Labour Party before too long.That, or a massive split.
In the meantime, if he wins the leadership, we can look forward to a right load of fruitloops on the shadow front bench,with little or no backing from the remainder of Labour MP's, who will be busy plotting to get rid of Corbyn.
As some on NSC say, yes it may be exciting, but whether it will be good for the Labour Party as HM Official Opposition, and therefore the country as a whole, I don't think so.

Very good to hear. Like you I think there is not the numbers of previous non-voters that will actually come out and vote for him, but my fear is that I am wrong about this...

For me, if he were to become labour leader, a split in that party, and hence share of the vote, would be most welcome.

 

[pastafarian]

I really don’t see Corbyn himself as a breath of fresh air at all,

I tend to agree with his supporters on this …..that he is the same politician he always has been,and has stuck to the same principles throughout his career. His policies are after all the same ones he has had for decades. He has always been there in the background.

The only difference between today and the past and possibly what you can term "fresh air" is the fact Labour supporters themselves have stopped ignoring him since the election defeat and are finally deciding to give the policies he has been asking people to care about for 30 years a run out.

2020 will tell if this turn of face is a prudent move and if it will lead to election victory and give him a chance to actually implement what he preaches.

 

[Albumen]

I really don’t see Corbyn himself as a breath of fresh air at all,

I tend to agree with his supporters on this …..that he is the same politician he always has been,and has stuck to the same principles throughout his career. His policies are after all the same ones he has had for decades. He has always been there in the background.

The only difference between today and the past and possibly what you can term "fresh air" is the fact Labour supporters themselves have stopped ignoring him since the election defeat and are finally deciding to give the policies he has been asking people to care about for 30 years a run out.

2020 will tell if this turn of face is a prudent move and if it will lead to election victory and give him a chance to actually implement what he preaches.

Unless I'm wrong this is the first time he's put himself forward for the leader of the party, hence why he's getting so much attention.

 

[Castello]

Nothing wrong with more people voting. That is not the emphasis of my post.


My fear is that Corbyn will be elected and implement his dangerous anti-NATO and defence views.

you see here we have the true tory voice. Not one of celebration that socialism will destroy the labour party, but the true fear of conservatives in all parties. The fear that socialism will bring a self awareness amongst the silent masses, who in recent years have written off parliamentary politics as being of no help to them. the fear that a rather innocuous, but principled man could wake up the sleeping masses of the working classes with a set of policies that the majority agree with, rather than have imposed upon them.

God if youre afraid of Jeremy Corbyn, you really should get out more and meet some people beyond your normal social circle. But its not Jeremy Corbyn youre really scared of is it.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Unless I'm wrong this is the first time he's put himself forward for the leader of the party, hence why he's getting so much attention.

He fell into it, it being 'his turn' and as he is now 1/7 he can comfortably buy another set of 3 vests for a tenner from the market for PMQ's

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

...

God if youre afraid of Jeremy Corbyn, you really should get out more and meet some people beyond your normal social circle. But its not Jeremy Corbyn youre really scared of is it.

Thanks for your advice on how I should live my life, oh wise preacher.


You are, however right, that it is not specifically Corbyn I am scared of, just scared of his anti-NATO and defence views.

 

[Castello]

Thanks for your advice on how I should live my life, oh wise preacher.


You are, however right, that it is not specifically Corbyn I am scared of, just scared of his anti-NATO and defence views.

Always glad to be of help

 

[BLOCK F]

you see here we have the true tory voice. Not one of celebration that socialism will destroy the labour party, but the true fear of conservatives in all parties. The fear that socialism will bring a self awareness amongst the silent masses, who in recent years have written off parliamentary politics as being of no help to them. the fear that a rather innocuous, but principled man could wake up the sleeping masses of the working classes with a set of policies that the majority agree with, rather than have imposed upon them.

God if youre afraid of Jeremy Corbyn, you really should get out more and meet some people beyond your normal social circle. But its not Jeremy Corbyn youre really scared of is it.

His socialist views and those of deluded followers like yourself are the ones that would wreck this country.
Thankfully, the silent masses and working classes that you talk about, are not, I am sure, about to rise up and 'see the light'.
The majority of these people have more sense than extremists like yourself.

 

[Bold Seagull]

His socialist views and those of deluded followers like yourself are the ones that would wreck this country.
Thankfully, the silent masses and working classes that you talk about, are not, I am sure, about to rise up and 'see the light'.
The majority of these people have more sense than extremists like yourself.

13.5m voted 'left' or left leaning at the last election which was 47.5% of the vote. Many traditional Labour voters are disenfranchised by Labour not being left enough and didn't vote. Obviously anyone with centre or right of centre views will believe he will wreck the country, but might not be so clear cut as you make out.