Oh, how sweet it is to be wrong! Labour moderates get it wrong, and that's a good thing.
Well done Jeremy, well done the Labour party, well done young British people for getting out to support, well done the British people in general for showing that a good solid left wing manifesto can increase your seats, and get 40% of the vote (and welcome back some of you daft eejits that supported UKIP before). The 2017 UK election result puts to bed all the previous silly talk of an unelectable leader and ideas too radical to gain wide support. The Labour program in health, education, equality, the work place, etc was a clear, strong, left wing one and it was received well across the UK because people see that it would really benefit them in all those areas. Let's build on that...
"Meanwhile, the leftwing opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn of the Labour party – who had been written off before the campaign as unelectable, extreme and incompetent – saw his personal ratings and those of his party rise, and stunned pundits by gaining 31 seats [ now 32], giving Labour a total of 261 MPs [now 262] . Labour defied the odds to win around 40% of the vote, with the Tories on 42%. Corbyn’s aides said the jump in the party’s share since previous leader Ed Miliband won 30% in 2015 was the largest between two general elections for any party since 1945. It was also higher than the 35.2% won by Labour’s Tony Blair in his third election victory in 2005." - The Guardian
Some people are saying that the reason Labour did much better than feared is because Corbyn changed his policies to be more moderate than expected. This is a not quite convincing way for moderates lefties (ML) to make out that they were right all along, rather than to honestly admit a mistake and that things turned out much better than they said it would.
1. Many ML folk were saying the most outrageous stuff about JC a few months ago, right up until early May. That he was unelectable and a disaster and all types of attacks on his personality and plans. If, as they say, he changed to flexibly consider more moderate policies then that already means what many ML were saying was wrong. They said one of the key problems is that he would NOT be reasonable, he was not flexible, that he was too extreme. So, as it turns out that he was not all that…this is already grounds for saying ‘We were wrong, he did better than we feared.’
2. The ML also said he was not a good communicator, that he did not ‘do politics well’. In reality he turned out to be quite a bit better at it than PM May. Especially towards the end he was seen as being far better than her on tv talks/debates/interviews.. relaxed, honest, direct, likable. Again, since ML folk were quite wrong about this, the honest and generous reaction is: ‘We were wrong, he did better than we said he would.’
3. Going back to the point that JC changed various actual policies to be more moderate. It's not at all clear that he did moderate many policies. But going along with it for now...part of the problem with that is that he did not write the labour manifesto himself, sitting alone on the number 9 bus. It was a joint effort of various people. Yet the ML were loudly saying ‘he does not listen to others, he is a tyrant’ So, if in practice the manifesto was the product of various figures, reflecting the scope of opinion of the labour party, then, yet again, this is good grounds for honestly admitting: ‘We were wrong, he acted a lot better than we feared.’
4. Last point - regardless of HOW it was done, the basic fact is that Corbyn did not turn out to be an unelectable disaster. The actual result was much better than what most said it would be. That basic fact should be admitted, out of good grace. And nice to see that many ML folk are admitting it. The Telegraph, that bastion of the left, reports:
I hold my hands up, I got it wrong about the appeal of Corbyn's platform and his popularity. But I am more than happy to be wrong tonight
— Sunny Hundal (@sunny_hundal) June 9, 2017
Had my doubts about Corbyn but boy was I wrong. And it’s a sweet feeling. Thank you to him and his team for a wonderful, inspiring campaign.
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) June 9, 2017
I was massively wrong about Corbyn. He hasn't won the election but he won more seats than Gordon Brown. Ran a brilliant campaign.
— Matthew Stadlen (@MatthewStadlen) June 9, 2017
Pretty hard to deny that Labour under Corbyn are performing miles better than I would ever have believed.
— Tom Harris (@MrTCHarris) June 9, 2017
Eating his words | What Owen Smith said last year:
“He’s got mass appeal to a small section of the electorate.
“The reality is that 12 million people are what we need in the Labour movement, voting Labour in Tory seats and Labour seats. Jeremy I don’t think can bring that along.”
Actual result: Labour vote 12,878,460
Nice!
“There is absolutely no question hanging over Jeremy’s leadership...I want to see Labour get in Government and I will help in any way that I can." - Chuka Umunna
Ha ha! That is not what you said a few months ago, pally!
Welcome aboard....
Well done Jeremy, well done the Labour party, well done young British people for getting out to support, well done the British people in general for showing that a good solid left wing manifesto can increase your seats, and get 40% of the vote (and welcome back some of you daft eejits that supported UKIP before). The 2017 UK election result puts to bed all the previous silly talk of an unelectable leader and ideas too radical to gain wide support. The Labour program in health, education, equality, the work place, etc was a clear, strong, left wing one and it was received well across the UK because people see that it would really benefit them in all those areas. Let's build on that...
"Meanwhile, the leftwing opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn of the Labour party – who had been written off before the campaign as unelectable, extreme and incompetent – saw his personal ratings and those of his party rise, and stunned pundits by gaining 31 seats [ now 32], giving Labour a total of 261 MPs [now 262] . Labour defied the odds to win around 40% of the vote, with the Tories on 42%. Corbyn’s aides said the jump in the party’s share since previous leader Ed Miliband won 30% in 2015 was the largest between two general elections for any party since 1945. It was also higher than the 35.2% won by Labour’s Tony Blair in his third election victory in 2005." - The Guardian
Some people are saying that the reason Labour did much better than feared is because Corbyn changed his policies to be more moderate than expected. This is a not quite convincing way for moderates lefties (ML) to make out that they were right all along, rather than to honestly admit a mistake and that things turned out much better than they said it would.
1. Many ML folk were saying the most outrageous stuff about JC a few months ago, right up until early May. That he was unelectable and a disaster and all types of attacks on his personality and plans. If, as they say, he changed to flexibly consider more moderate policies then that already means what many ML were saying was wrong. They said one of the key problems is that he would NOT be reasonable, he was not flexible, that he was too extreme. So, as it turns out that he was not all that…this is already grounds for saying ‘We were wrong, he did better than we feared.’
2. The ML also said he was not a good communicator, that he did not ‘do politics well’. In reality he turned out to be quite a bit better at it than PM May. Especially towards the end he was seen as being far better than her on tv talks/debates/interviews.. relaxed, honest, direct, likable. Again, since ML folk were quite wrong about this, the honest and generous reaction is: ‘We were wrong, he did better than we said he would.’
3. Going back to the point that JC changed various actual policies to be more moderate. It's not at all clear that he did moderate many policies. But going along with it for now...part of the problem with that is that he did not write the labour manifesto himself, sitting alone on the number 9 bus. It was a joint effort of various people. Yet the ML were loudly saying ‘he does not listen to others, he is a tyrant’ So, if in practice the manifesto was the product of various figures, reflecting the scope of opinion of the labour party, then, yet again, this is good grounds for honestly admitting: ‘We were wrong, he acted a lot better than we feared.’
4. Last point - regardless of HOW it was done, the basic fact is that Corbyn did not turn out to be an unelectable disaster. The actual result was much better than what most said it would be. That basic fact should be admitted, out of good grace. And nice to see that many ML folk are admitting it. The Telegraph, that bastion of the left, reports:
I hold my hands up, I got it wrong about the appeal of Corbyn's platform and his popularity. But I am more than happy to be wrong tonight
— Sunny Hundal (@sunny_hundal) June 9, 2017
Had my doubts about Corbyn but boy was I wrong. And it’s a sweet feeling. Thank you to him and his team for a wonderful, inspiring campaign.
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) June 9, 2017
I was massively wrong about Corbyn. He hasn't won the election but he won more seats than Gordon Brown. Ran a brilliant campaign.
— Matthew Stadlen (@MatthewStadlen) June 9, 2017
Pretty hard to deny that Labour under Corbyn are performing miles better than I would ever have believed.
— Tom Harris (@MrTCHarris) June 9, 2017
Eating his words | What Owen Smith said last year:
“He’s got mass appeal to a small section of the electorate.
“The reality is that 12 million people are what we need in the Labour movement, voting Labour in Tory seats and Labour seats. Jeremy I don’t think can bring that along.”
Actual result: Labour vote 12,878,460
Nice!
“There is absolutely no question hanging over Jeremy’s leadership...I want to see Labour get in Government and I will help in any way that I can." - Chuka Umunna
Ha ha! That is not what you said a few months ago, pally!
Welcome aboard....