Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour party
"Corbyn is a great leap backwards for Labour" headlined one Daily Mail article immediately after Corbyn's election as Labour leader. On the same day, the Daily Telegraph published an article headlined "The day the Labour party died". The night before Corbyn's election, the ardent Blairite Alastair Campbell argued that a Jeremy Corbyn leadership is "unelectable" and will cause "chaos " for the Labour party. This has made me think - the non-Labour supporting neo-liberal wing of this country were gleaming with joy at Corbyn's election. They think it marked the end for the Labour party and left-wing politics as a whole, but I beg to differ. The Tories are supposedly delighted at his election as leader, however they run the risk of underestimating him, much like many of us did (even those of us on the left), when he chose to stand for the leadership of the Labour party. He has blown expectations once already and I think this is how he can do it again in 2020.
First of all, there is no denying it, the biggest concern amongst the public about the prospect of a Labour government is the party's economic credibility. If Labour are to have any shot at kicking the Bullingdon boys out of number 10 then they need to take on the myths of 'Labour loves borrowing' and 'Labour's overspending left us in a disastrous situation'. Both flawed and hypocritical statements and yet they have been effective in undermining the Labour party's economic credibility. Let's start with the financial crash of 2008 - the Tories base the cause of the crash on 'Labour's overspending' however the facts suggest otherwise. As the economist Jonathan Swift eloquently puts it "It is clear to anyone who has studied the financial crisis of 2008 that the private sector's drive for short term profit was behind it. More than 84 percent of sub-prime mortgages were issued by private lending...The lenders who made these were exempt from federal regulations." To put it simply, the free-market allowed the banks to do as they please which consequently caused the global financial crash. What is crucial here is that free-market economics, or rather Tory economics, had caused the financial crisis which then led to taxpayers bailing out the banks. The deficit also rose as a consequence of bailing the banks out, not because of Labour's supposed 'reckless spending on welfare'.
John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor, really has to establish to the public that Labour's spending nor the deficit caused the financial crisis. It was the free market - TORY ECONOMICS which plunged this country and the entire western world into economic calamity. It is also worth highlighting that our 'economically responsible' Prime Minister wanted less regulation of the banks when he was in opposition which suggests that the country would have been in an even worse position if the Tories were in government. Through highlighting the flaws in the Tories' economic arguments and by offering a radical economic alternative based on investment, Corbyn's Labour party can rebuild its economic credibility and start convincing large swathes of the public that they are ready for government.
Another obstacle between Labour and Downing Street is Scotland. In the last election Labour were absolutely annihilated by the SNP and their Machiavellian (and I don't mean that in a bad way) leader Nicola Sturgeon, gaining just one MP compared to the SNP's fifty-nine. Whilst clearly nationalism has contributed to the rise of the SNP and the demise of unionist Labour, a lot of it was down to the way the respective parties campaigned. The Scottish Referendum of 2014 revealed the vast difference in campaigning strategy between the two parties; the SNP were clever, they offered a positive and fresh alternative to remaining a part of the UK which galvanised and inspired vast swathes of the Scottish people. Poll after poll suggested the 'in' campaign would win comfortably but the 'pro-independence' side, despite losing, pushed the result a lot closer than was actually predicted. Labour's strategy was a PR failure; they joined the 'better together' campaign which meant they were campaigning alongside the Tories against independence. They had participated in project fear - patronising Scots by telling them that all hell will break loose if you leave the UK. It was just daft in the extreme. On top of that they worked with that lot in blue - Scotland's "toxic" enemy. This led to some Scots describing Labour as the "red Tories". I am in no way advocating Scottish independence, but it does not take a fool to know that negative campaigning, and working with a party that is not popular among the Scottish people is no way to inspire and convince large swathes of the public. It was no surprise to see why Labour lost Scotland in the manner that they did.
Luckily, in Jeremy Corbyn, Labour have a leader who does not believe in negative campaigning or personal attacks. If Corbyn can adopt his 'anti-establishment' and positive campaigning used to elect him as leader of the opposition to winning votes back in Scotland, combined with offering a radical alternative to the Tories, those on the north of Hadrian's wall can be won back. During the General Election of 2015, Nicola Sturgeon galvanised, united and inspired the majority of Scots which consequently left Labour in the wilderness. If Jeremy Corbyn is to be prime minister in 2020 then he must win back the traditional Labour heartland of Scotland, and it must be done on a campaign of hope and energy, not fear and negativity as his SNP counterpart did so successfully.
A tag that is consistently thrown by the Tories/Blairites at Jeremy Corbyn, and generally those on the left of the political spectrum, is that they are too "anti-business" or too "anti-aspiration". Much like the tag of "Labour loves borrowing", this needs to be taken head on and the way to do that is to expose the hypocrisy of the Tories. Where Labour can expose the government is on home ownership; the Tories believe they are "the party of home ownership" but the facts prove otherwise. Under the last Tory led coalition, Britain has seen the biggest fall in home ownership for twenty nine years. According to the English Housing Survey this is because "high prices lock out the young and those on low and middle incomes". Labour need to establish that the Tories are quite simply not 'the party of home ownership' - it is nothing but lip service from David Cameron. The Guardian columnist Owen Jones argues that Labour and the left in general need to surprise the British public with a fresh strategy to attract low and middle-income Britons to home ownership. In terms of forming policy, Jones goes on to argue that Labour could scrap the regressive stamp duty and council tax and replace it with a "land value tax...[a tax] which would prove fairer to both low-income and middle-income Britons." Labour needs to lead the way on home ownership and transform it in a way so that everyone has a chance to get on the housing ladder, not just those on the highest incomes. This is something the Tories have failed to do.
Offering a real alternative to how more people can get on the housing ladder would deal a massive blow to the Conservative party as home ownership is seen as one of their flagship ideals. Not only would it put the Tories' record on home ownership to shame but it would also surprise the British public - a socialist party putting forward the case for more council housing, but also for more home ownership. It would change mindsets (both of the public and of the Blairites within the party). It would contradict this 'anti-aspiration' tag that is often put on those on the left. After all, it is crucial to remember just what socialism stands for - it is about meeting the needs of the majority of society, not just those on the highest incomes but equally not just those on the lowest either. It is estimated that nearly eight out of every ten Britons aspire to home ownership and if socialism is about meeting the needs and hopes of the many, then surely the Labour party should chase this opportunity to become the real 'party of home ownership' and meet the hopes that roughly 80% of Britons aspire to.
It is foolish is to suggest that just by simply implementing the ideas laid out it in this article would ensure a Labour government in 2020 - I just think these are just some key ways as to how Corbyn and co. can really kick in to gear and change public mindsets, however it is equally foolish say that Jeremy Corbyn does not stand a chance of getting Labour into government in four and a half years' time. There is a huge opportunity for the Labour party and the left in general to expose the Tories - whether it's their lies on the economy or their claims on home ownership and 'aspiration'. There is so much this government have failed on and lied about. But also Labour need to learn why they lost and how their opponents defeated them - they need a campaign that is based on hope not fear, unity not division, policy not personality. The opportunity is there, the only question is will Corbyn and his team make the most of it?
John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor, really has to establish to the public that Labour's spending nor the deficit caused the financial crisis. It was the free market - TORY ECONOMICS which plunged this country and the entire western world into economic calamity. It is also worth highlighting that our 'economically responsible' Prime Minister wanted less regulation of the banks when he was in opposition which suggests that the country would have been in an even worse position if the Tories were in government. Through highlighting the flaws in the Tories' economic arguments and by offering a radical economic alternative based on investment, Corbyn's Labour party can rebuild its economic credibility and start convincing large swathes of the public that they are ready for government.
Another obstacle between Labour and Downing Street is Scotland. In the last election Labour were absolutely annihilated by the SNP and their Machiavellian (and I don't mean that in a bad way) leader Nicola Sturgeon, gaining just one MP compared to the SNP's fifty-nine. Whilst clearly nationalism has contributed to the rise of the SNP and the demise of unionist Labour, a lot of it was down to the way the respective parties campaigned. The Scottish Referendum of 2014 revealed the vast difference in campaigning strategy between the two parties; the SNP were clever, they offered a positive and fresh alternative to remaining a part of the UK which galvanised and inspired vast swathes of the Scottish people. Poll after poll suggested the 'in' campaign would win comfortably but the 'pro-independence' side, despite losing, pushed the result a lot closer than was actually predicted. Labour's strategy was a PR failure; they joined the 'better together' campaign which meant they were campaigning alongside the Tories against independence. They had participated in project fear - patronising Scots by telling them that all hell will break loose if you leave the UK. It was just daft in the extreme. On top of that they worked with that lot in blue - Scotland's "toxic" enemy. This led to some Scots describing Labour as the "red Tories". I am in no way advocating Scottish independence, but it does not take a fool to know that negative campaigning, and working with a party that is not popular among the Scottish people is no way to inspire and convince large swathes of the public. It was no surprise to see why Labour lost Scotland in the manner that they did.
Luckily, in Jeremy Corbyn, Labour have a leader who does not believe in negative campaigning or personal attacks. If Corbyn can adopt his 'anti-establishment' and positive campaigning used to elect him as leader of the opposition to winning votes back in Scotland, combined with offering a radical alternative to the Tories, those on the north of Hadrian's wall can be won back. During the General Election of 2015, Nicola Sturgeon galvanised, united and inspired the majority of Scots which consequently left Labour in the wilderness. If Jeremy Corbyn is to be prime minister in 2020 then he must win back the traditional Labour heartland of Scotland, and it must be done on a campaign of hope and energy, not fear and negativity as his SNP counterpart did so successfully.
A tag that is consistently thrown by the Tories/Blairites at Jeremy Corbyn, and generally those on the left of the political spectrum, is that they are too "anti-business" or too "anti-aspiration". Much like the tag of "Labour loves borrowing", this needs to be taken head on and the way to do that is to expose the hypocrisy of the Tories. Where Labour can expose the government is on home ownership; the Tories believe they are "the party of home ownership" but the facts prove otherwise. Under the last Tory led coalition, Britain has seen the biggest fall in home ownership for twenty nine years. According to the English Housing Survey this is because "high prices lock out the young and those on low and middle incomes". Labour need to establish that the Tories are quite simply not 'the party of home ownership' - it is nothing but lip service from David Cameron. The Guardian columnist Owen Jones argues that Labour and the left in general need to surprise the British public with a fresh strategy to attract low and middle-income Britons to home ownership. In terms of forming policy, Jones goes on to argue that Labour could scrap the regressive stamp duty and council tax and replace it with a "land value tax...[a tax] which would prove fairer to both low-income and middle-income Britons." Labour needs to lead the way on home ownership and transform it in a way so that everyone has a chance to get on the housing ladder, not just those on the highest incomes. This is something the Tories have failed to do.
Offering a real alternative to how more people can get on the housing ladder would deal a massive blow to the Conservative party as home ownership is seen as one of their flagship ideals. Not only would it put the Tories' record on home ownership to shame but it would also surprise the British public - a socialist party putting forward the case for more council housing, but also for more home ownership. It would change mindsets (both of the public and of the Blairites within the party). It would contradict this 'anti-aspiration' tag that is often put on those on the left. After all, it is crucial to remember just what socialism stands for - it is about meeting the needs of the majority of society, not just those on the highest incomes but equally not just those on the lowest either. It is estimated that nearly eight out of every ten Britons aspire to home ownership and if socialism is about meeting the needs and hopes of the many, then surely the Labour party should chase this opportunity to become the real 'party of home ownership' and meet the hopes that roughly 80% of Britons aspire to.
It is foolish is to suggest that just by simply implementing the ideas laid out it in this article would ensure a Labour government in 2020 - I just think these are just some key ways as to how Corbyn and co. can really kick in to gear and change public mindsets, however it is equally foolish say that Jeremy Corbyn does not stand a chance of getting Labour into government in four and a half years' time. There is a huge opportunity for the Labour party and the left in general to expose the Tories - whether it's their lies on the economy or their claims on home ownership and 'aspiration'. There is so much this government have failed on and lied about. But also Labour need to learn why they lost and how their opponents defeated them - they need a campaign that is based on hope not fear, unity not division, policy not personality. The opportunity is there, the only question is will Corbyn and his team make the most of it?
