Corbyn

I didn’t want him elected leader of the Labour party not because I dislike him or most of his policies the reason I didn’t want him to win is much more painful: he reminds me of Michael Foot who I liked very much. He was a good man, a great politician and a hopeless leader. It wasn’t that his opinions were wrong they were not Michael Foot just seemed unable to understand the difference between being a back bench conviction politician and being the leader of a major political party.

I have the same feeling about Jeremy Corbyn with one or two added reservations. He did ignore the child sexual abuse tragedy in Islington and he did condemn Geoffrey Dickens for raising the subject of child sexual abuse in parliament. Not good enough particularly from the leader of a political party. And there is his age. He’s sixty six its not too late to make a success of his leadership but its cutting it fine and seventy is not too old to lead a general election campaign I hope his health holds because he is taking on a challenging position and a leadership election close to a general election would not be ideal.

Having said that Jeremy Corbyn does have the opportunity to make real progress. The Conservative party won the general election but they are not popular in the unthinking way Margaret Thatcher was for so long. If Corbyn can emphasize the difference between himself and David Cameron he has a great opportunity to close the gap and even take the lead.

Yesterday was his first opportunity and his first mistake. He attended an event commemorating the Battle of Britain and declined to join in the national anthem. As a conviction politician he is entitled to his views as leader of the Labour party his personal views don’t count in any but exceptional circumstances. If his PR team and I do hope he has one have any common sense at all they will make clear that whilst he is not changing his republican atheist position he will not use his leadership to promote what the majority of his party and the country disagree with since to do so would be a betrayal of democracy and that is what he should also say to questions about any previous and possibly controversial issues.

I wish Jeremy Corbyn luck even though some of his opinions and some members of his cabinet irritate the hell out of me.

I was in two minds about writing this, not only do some people think I can’t write they also think I should stay away from politics because as they are always eager to inform me I’m too stupid to understand. Fuck em I write what I like because I want to write it not because I’m looking for praise or even readers.