Media coverage deliberately biased against Corbyn, British public believes

EnthusiasmDisturbed, you are right. I am from Essex which is the heart of the aspirational working class where we voted for Thatcher in droves because she offered us a way up based on merit.

If Labour can ditch some of their dogma about hindering aspiration and solve people's problems and offer opportunities, then people will back them again. But Labour have been taken over by a set of metropolitan Oxbridge graduates who have little in common with working people which is why they are out of touch.

Corbyn can walk into any pub and fit in whereas an Oxbridge geek like Miliband or Blair wouldn't fit in in the gritty Northern Labour clubs.

'If Corbyn is "old" labour, isn't he just going to go the same way as "old" labour did?'

No, because people's problems have got worse and they need solving and the Blairites have no answer as they cater to the metropolitan elite as Labour MP John Mann, who was for Brexit, said and that is why the Northern Labour heartlands are increasingly moving to UKIP as they feel abandoned by the Oxbridge metropolitan elite who were put in charge of Labour. They are back challenging Corbyn yet again after his victory which had the biggest mandate in UK politicak history. The "magic circle" hopes that the 172 will beat Corbyn, but I think Corbyn will thrash them once again.

'Champagne socialism has a far broader appeal than Corbyn socialism'

I doubt it because champagne socialism doesn't fix people's housing and employment and health problems. Wait until Corbyn tells working class people what he will do for them to solve the issues they are facing, that is when we will see a rise in the Labour vote as at last someone offers to fix and solve people's problems.

'what was it about 'old' labour that caused 'the people' to lose faith/support in it?'

The times, but the times are a-changing. The pubblic mood is swinging and has swung against the Establishment which is why we beat them in Brexit.

'What has changed, and what evidence is there that repeating history will be different this time?'

Things have got worse for millions of people. There is less social mobility than in the 1970s, we had a Cabinet stuffed full of Old Etonians, people can't afford to buy homes in huge numbers as house prices rise and there is a lack of new builds. There is a shortage of council homes and higher rents as well as much greater immigration and pressure on services. Jobs are now less secure as Blair failed to reverse union restrictions and employers now offer zero-hour contracts etc. Free university tuition is gone and people are clocking up large debts in an attempt to better themselves by educating themselves.

The rich and fat cats have got richer, the 1%'s wealth has increased while the people have had to suffer austerity to pay the bankers and fat cats back who caused the financial crash from which the entire world has still not fully recovered after 8 years where interest rates are at zero and are going negative in some countries.

That explains the rise of Corbyn and the Corbynistas.

' they are mainly mc socialists they share his lack of desire for material wealth (as life has been relatively comfortable, very compared to some) or social mobility'

What is the source of this? Is it the 172?

I find it hard to believe as one minute we are told by the 172 that the new members are Trots, Socialist Workers and hard left and then we are told that they are wealthy and comfortably off.

It is the Blair supporters wh are mainly middle class and share his metropolitan beliefs of student tuition fees of £9000 odd and possibly rising, part privatisation of the health service and no problem with people being stinking rich.

It is the Corbynistas who want tuition fees scrapped, nationalised rail, an end to privatisation and more union rights. That is more traditionally working class than middle class.

'but I have not seen this with any political party leaders in this country'

I agree but it just goes to show how much hope people have invested in him and his message and how little faith they have in the Blairites, the Establishment, the 172 and all the rest. People have been let down and they hope that Corbyn can fix things. The "magic circle" should listen and learn rather than try their best to overturn the Labour members' wishes.

'I have never known a leader of a political party with such ardent supporters and ones who are very very vocal'

I agree. It has shocked the Establishment and the 172. They have never seen anything like it. But it is just a sign that many people have had enough of the same old, same old and that Corbyn offers them hope. It is a good thing that politics offers people hope for real change.

'You wouldn't be looking to government to collect more tax from these people?'

I would want them to get more tax from the rich because I don't believe that the middle class should be squeezed for any more. They should get tax from the big corporations, hedge funds, banks and City institutions as well as rich individuals. I beleiev in tax cuts for the working and middle class and a reduction of our tax money to the "magic circle" so that they can't waste it on their pet projects and can spend it on essentials like health, infrastructure and education.

"Corporate Watch

Has the Guardian exploited tax loopholes to save millions?

Despite the Guardian splashing their campaigning investigations into tax avoidance across the front page, the paper’s parent company has been using convoluted but legal techniques to avoid paying tax, according to Private Eye.

Guardian Media Group, publisher of the Guardian and its sister the Observer, has been accused of running a tax avoidance scheme by the satirical magazine."

www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2012/05/16/has-the-guardian-exploited-tax-loopholes-to-save-millions/

"The Labour Party avoided paying tax on £4.3 million worth of profits last year, according to the latest figures from the Electoral Commission.

The revelation came the same day Jeremy Corbyn announced he will fund £500 billion of investment through tackling tax evasion.

In 2015, Labour ran a surplus of £4.3 million, but paid zero tax, while the Conservative Party ran a surplus of just over £1 million and paid £238,000 in tax. "

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/05/labour-avoided-paying-tax-on-43-million-worth-of-profits-last-ye/

I leave taxation up to the experts at the HMRC. They know what they are doing and I assume that Banks follows the rules.

There is no hero worship of Corbyn. Everyone knows he has faults, but so do the 172 and all the rest. What is new and different about Corbyn is that he is Old Labour and therefore gives hope to lots of people that things can really change. That is why there are so many Corbynistas, because they have had enough of the Blairite Tory-lite status quo.

I know nothing about his tax. I think he should pay whatever he owes just like everyone else, and I assume he does.