Just over a week ago, the far left, sandal-wearing socialist Jeremy Corbyn won the labour election by a landslide, to become the next Labour leader, and he has already caused a stir within Labour ranks. So how can someone so popular with Labour Party supporters be so reviled by many fellow Labour MPs?
To run for leader of the Labour party, you have to to be nominated by at least 35 MPs. Corbyn didn’t just manage to get his 35 nominations from his supporters, but from those who opposed him.
MPs, including Dianne Abbot, Frank Field, and David Lammy, who have admitted nominating Corbyn in order to ‘have a debate’, are ‘morons’,according to Tony Blair’s former advisor, John McTurnan. He went on to say that they are responsible for the ‘disastrous’ results, that handed Corbyn a colossal 59% majority, and triggered resignations in the shadow cabinet. (Before he had even formed it)
But could he be just what British politics needs? Ok, some of his manifesto is questionable (female only train carriages?), and he’s not that hot on the economy, but he has that passion and authenticity that set him apart from the Westminster village. In a time when most politicians are shying away from left wing politics, Corbyn is swimming against the tide. Having voted against the Labour Party line more than 500 times (that’s more than David Cameron), he appears to be on the side of the people, which makes him extremely popular, as demonstrated at the Nottingham rally last Thursday, when throngs of people queued around the corner to listen to him speak.
Love him or hate him, you can’t ignore him. From not singing the national anthem, to terrifying Labour bigwigs, his mark on British politics won’t disappear quickly.