Corbyn is lovely, why the negativity?

[Wettingthetopbunkbed]

Really, why?
Just because he's a bit different in his presentation. He in principled and compassionate, I for one wish he would become the PM.

Okay - I buckled and read the blog.

Corbyn launched his campaign in Croydon North, a very safe Labour seat.

Corbyn is constantly surrounded by the same Momentum crowd - watch him. You'd see the same faces again and again.

Corbyn only speaks to the converted. Want proof? Try rocking up to one of his rallies and disagreeing with something. It won't be pretty.

Jeremy Corbyn not a quivering coward? How many times has he actually, literally run away from journos? He ran away from Peter Tatchell and hid offstage.

Nice panhandling at the end of the blog. I didn't donate.

Janet I agree with your point hopefully the triple lock on pensions will not be guaranteed in the Tory manifesto for a start.

"I do think Corbyn is a great advert for cycling and a veggy diet. He looks good for his age."

Maybe he could get into lifestyle blogging à la Gwynnie once he gives up his Labour leadership? Jeremy jam, cuddly cotton cardies in 10 shades of red and vintage bikes vs. eBikes in the city.

Honestly it's his next niche.

Mind you i said that about George Osborne and his diet but he's aced being a newspaper editor instead!

I find his arguments well-reasoned too.

Many people on this thread don’t hate Corbyn, they actually hate socialism. If you think the NHS is ‘too generous’ and favour a ‘mixed system’, what are you doing on a thread about Corbyn’s leadership … it’s actually old fashioned democratic socialism you have a problem with, not him. He's just the messenger for values and policies you abhor.

I actually agree that the average standard of living in Germany is higher than in the UK. I'm just back from a week in Germany and it is really noticable. But I have a brother who is Kreisrat (elected leader of a district council, after many years as a mayor), another one who is head of finance in one of the largest cities for one of Germany's largest charities (which runs many food banks among other things) and my sister is the PA of a prison director, I get to hear a lot about the people on the lower end of the German social scale and there are increasing numbers of people who are struggling.
And if you read/participate in German online sites you are starting to see a lot of unhappiness, about schools and local services, pensions, house prices,... some of it is "jammern auf hohem Niveau" but there is a sense for many people that live is getting worse. It will be an intersting election in September.

can you cite an example of a policy you think is well-reasoned? We can have this debate when the manifestos are out I guess. I've not seen any proper detail that would prove his policies were well-reasoned whatsoever. If you've got some, I'll honestly consider it.

can you cite an example of a policy you think is well-reasoned? We can have this debate when the manifestos are out I guess. I've not seen any proper detail that would prove his policies were well-reasoned whatsoever. If you've got some, I'll honestly consider it.

All rented accommodation to be fit for human habitation
Again, astounding that this isn't the case already, but in January 2016 the Tories (over 1/3 of whom are landlords) deliberately voted down a Labour Party amendment to their housing bill to ensure that all rented accommodation is fit for human habitation.

He's just the messenger for values and policies you abhor.

Yes.

I also disagree with people saying that Britain is a naturally Conservative country.

britain is a naturally small c conservative country - not the same statement. This 'All rented accommodation to be fit for human habitation'

this is a slogan. Where is the detail for how he's going to bring this about? Is being a slum landlord going to be a crime? What will the penalty be, who is enforcing this?

this is what I mean, where is the detail, should I just take it on trust?

hopefully the triple lock on pensions will not be guaranteed in the Tory manifesto for a start.

I thought labour have said they would protect it until 2025 ?

britain is a naturally small c conservative country

I don't know at all what you are basing this pronouncement on. Relative to what? N. Korea? The US? Marx? Ayn Rand?

I think we're stuck with the stupidity of the triple lock until the under 40s start turning out more at General Elections.

i'm basing it on this being the thing that commentators often say, not britain is a Conservative country, britain is a conservative country - people do not like revolution/large changes.

Justanotherposter00 - what did the amendment actually say, because a law that says "fit for human habitation" means nothing. Is way to subjective. Therefore, I reckon the amendment said something different and "fit for human habitation" is an emotive wrapper put round it.

Yes, I spelled conservative with a small 'c'.

because a law that says "fit for human habitation" means nothing. Is way to subjective. Therefore, I reckon the amendment said something different and "fit for human habitation" is an emotive wrapper put round it.

Under common law, jurisprudence usually sorts out these definitions. See "reasonable", "Clapham omnibus".

I totally agree with the OP. I think JC's policies are aligned to what I want for this country: nationalisation of the railways, more council housing, regulations on banking and big business including better collection of taxes, higher national minimum wage ... honestly, what's not to like? Especially when compared to crippling cuts targeted at the most vulnerable, under funding of the NHS and social care and that dusty old idea that grammar schools raise education standards despite evidence to the contrary. The whole jam and cardigan thing makes him seem more endearing, especially when compared to the top hat and tails Bullingdon bunch of fuckers.

F britain is a naturally small c conservative country

I don't know at all what you are basing this pronouncement on. Relative to what? N. Korea? The US? Marx? Ayn Rand?*

Well, our electoral history for starters. Wishing it was different doesn't make it untrue.

Well, our electoral history for starters. Wishing it was different doesn't make it untrue.

Actual voting results show a very divided country.

Agree that Britain is a conservative (small c) country rather than a Conservative country. The distinction is very important.

Our parliamentary democracy has evolved over hundreds of years and we aren't generally keen on revolutions or sweeping social changes. On the plus side, it means that extremists of any hue tend to be largely held in check - they do still exist of course and have made some headway recently but their success is limited. On the negative side it means we are keen to keep the status quo (which is why Brexit was such a massive shock) and are resistant to even positive changes.

Obviously all of that is generalising, but I think it's broadly true.

As an aside, Mainland Europe has far more of a problem with right wing extremists than the UK does.

Particularly in Poland and Austria. I'm using those examples as they were being touted upthread as 'better than Britain' by a couple of expat posters.

make, as I said earlier, the overall result doesn't mean that everyone agrees with it. But historically, the vast majority of all governments ever elected and the near misses have lurked somewhere near the centre. Radical parties have always tended to be niche.

The sudden lurch to the right globally might spark a corresponding surge on the harder left, but I'm not seeing it in the general public, just in a tiny minority of committed party members who are nowhere near numerous enough to vote in a government.

What's he good for?