There’s never been anything like this. Even during 90s Britpop cool when Tony Blair tried to gain cred-by-association it wasn’t close.
Today Jeremy Corbyn – putting the inert and inactive Theresa May to shame – appeared at multiple venues in the West Midlands and the North-West and was met by thousands each time. Try as they might, the media simply cannot portray the campaigns of the two party leaders as equivalent. Not if they want to retain a shred of credibility.
In the north-west, Corbyn was hailed by a crowd of at least 5,000 people in West Kirby, in spite of less than ideal weather. This writer was privileged to be there. Here are some of the scenes:
West Kirby#vote #VoteLabour #labour #GE2107 pic.twitter.com/hzYPGnG4zu
— Ed Rimmer (@Ed_Rimmer) May 20, 2017
The crowds were so large that many were watching even from behind the Labour leader’s bus to get a view:
While this scene filmed as Corbyn arrived gives an idea both of the size of the crowd and of the warmth of its welcome:
The event was streamed live on Facebook and watched worldwide. The response?
One of the most striking moments in the crowd was when a young woman, only 13 or so, turned excitedly to her dad and said, “I saw his face, I saw his face!”
Can you imagine any Tory leader – or the leader of any of the other parties, for that matter – inspiring that kind of reaction? ‘They’re all the same‘ is dead and buried when Corbyn’s around – and people young and old are inspired by his integrity, vision and energy.
No wonder Theresa May refuses to debate with him.
After West Kirby, Corbyn moved onto Prenton Park, the home ground of Tranmere Rovers Football Club, where he had been invited to appear at a concert by rock giants The Libertines. Corbyn appeared on stage before the performance began and the response was incredible:
Crowd at #WirralLive gig go wild for Jezza – will you report this or #WestKirby crowds @BBCNews @SkyNews @itvnews pic.twitter.com/74nGZztE9E
— Grassroots Voices (@GrassrootsJC4PM) May 20, 2017
A crowd of around 20,000 mostly young rock fans chanting his name in a way that would usually be reserved for a football star who had just scored the winning goal at a vital match.
The reception for his rousing speech was equally impressive – as were the boos at even a mention of the Tories:
https://twitter.com/liamyoung/status/866018597461778432
Great video
Jeremy Corbyn at Libertines gig pic.twitter.com/SWOal1SlFW— Bernie bro (@TheBirmingham6) May 20, 2017
The crowd love him…Jeremy Corbyn rocks up on stage before the Libertines gig…. 🎶Ohh Je-re-my Cor-byn…🎶 pic.twitter.com/8ljJ4e0y77 #GE2017
— Grassroots Voices (@GrassrootsJC4PM) May 20, 2017
These scenes are anything but an anomaly. As the SKWAWKBOX showed last week, the Corbyn phenomenon is seen everywhere he goes, even in Tory heartlands.
Something unique is happening. Something potentially historic.
Labour is polling at levels (48%) in London that mean they look set to take seats there from Tory incumbents and achieving polling numbers well ahead of anything achieved under Miliband in 2015 (39% in England/Wales and 34% even including Scotland, according to Ipsos Mori, while even YouGov is showing serious gains).
Well over 1.5 million people have registered to vote since May called the election. Mostly young people – and we’ve just seen what they think of Corbyn. And there are still two days left to register.
Lifelong Tory voters are switching to Labour as they realise the damage done to them, their children, our NHS by the Tories.
May’s foolishness in revealing her true colours in her manifesto assault on both our young people and our elderly is costing her – and the effects are only beginning to be seen.
May will be sweating bullets that her fear-driven General Election gamble will see her become the shortest-serving Prime Minister in centuries. Let’s make sure her nightmares come true.
Make sure you are registered to vote – the deadline is Monday.
Make sure you vote – planning to, intending to, feeling positive about Labour is not enough. Act.
Campaign – get involved, whether on the ground, online or via Labour’s new phonebanking tool.
Talk – to family, friends, neighbours, anyone who’ll listen. Make sure they hear what the Establishment won’t tell them.
Win. It’s there within our reach.
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Reblogged this on Sid's Blog and commented:
Maybot or Corbyn
❌Hate or Hope❤️
WOODCOCK, the standing Labour mp in Barrow, needs a lesson in diplomacy!
He is the reason for the wrongs in our Party, along with the rightwing minority!
If he and the rest of his ilk don’t want anything to do with our LEADER! Then RESIGN MORONS!
WE DON’T WANT YOU IN OUR PARTY!
It is estimated that 2,000,000 extra people will have registered to vote between the election being called and voting day.
Half of those people are under 25. Considering Labour’s investment in their future it is a sade assumption the vast majority will vote Labour.
Polls show Ukip supporters like left wing economic policy, as it directly addresses many of their concerns. That has the potential to boost the Labour vote.
The Tories have also blundered by reducing both pensioner support and taking free lunches away from schoolchildren.
Then add to all of that the Corbyn factor. The repeated claim that Corbyn was unelectable is being demolished in real time by Labour’s gains in the polls. This is Corbyn’s manifesto and he has led the campaign with a tirelessly optimistic and realistic vision for the country.
Those increases prove that far from being a liability, Mr Corbyn enhances the electability of the Labour party.
These factors indicate that this election is far closer than the press would have us believe.
Far closer. It is not unfeasible to suggest that the Tories can be defeated.
Hillary Clinton had the establishment media in the tank too. She, like May, was predicted a guaranteed victory.
Which never arrived.
I attended West Kirby rally last night with my brother who has voted Tory many times. Must add that the rest of my siblings, our parents & myself have always voted labour.
My brother is now joining the Labour party. He described Jeremy Corbyn as the saviour of the people who wants to feed the millions, just like Jesus Christ who wanted to feed the many.
I am so proud of my brother for finally seeing the light.
Reblogged this on michaelsnaith.
Want to share this as widely as poss
The Election was covered very well on AL Jazeera this morning, (sunday) The world is watching and Corbyn is winning by their calculations. A big discussion on Mays Refusal to debate in public was big blow to her credibility. Even in Iran the leaders had a head to head debate. We must keep pushing.
Have you got a link to the AJ discussion?
If you look on the AL Jazeera site and the downloads it should be there. If not just message them and they will be more than helpful.
I was at West Kirby, I thought I might go deaf when the crowd roared in support of JC. I’ve never heard anything so loud at any rock concert. Absolutely amazing ❤️
I was on the beach with a friend, not a Corbyn supporter, but she wanted to see him for herself. She cheered as he put forward his vision for education, the NHS, house building etc. We couldn’t see him because the crowd was so big, but still she came away inspired. Fingers crossed for an election victory, or this country will go to hell in a (designer) handbag.
Go to AL Jazeera.com English then click on shows, and click on inside story. This leads with the anti Corbyn bias in the British media.
If Labour do win the election I wonder if all the MPs that resigned from the shadow cabinet will expect their old jobs back. As Jeremy will have proved them all wrong. And that he is electable. He is certainly proving he is very popular with members of the public.
I would hope those who undermined Jeremy from within the NEC and PLP will be kicked out especially the evil McNicholl. But as I expect. Jeremy will not not crack the whip. He is a decent man but a little too soft at times.
Reblogged this on dainagregory.