Surprise – ordinary UK voters like Jeremy Corbyn too

Written By: - Date published: 7:26 pm, August 16th, 2015 - 70 comments
Categories: labour, polls, uk politics - Tags: , , ,

Voting for a new UK Labour Leader has now begun. But the steady drum beat of establishment prejudice against left wing candidate Jeremy Corbyn continues unabated.

The UK’s Media Lens organisation systematically takes apart The Guardian’s claims that their coverage of Jeremy Corbyn has been well balanced overall. It’s clear from the Media Lens analysis that despite its protestations to the contrary, The Guardian has been eagerly participating in putting the boot into Corbyn.

Tony Blair has kept up his commentary too, saying that by voting Corbyn in, Labour is in effect walking over a cliff and faces an electoral “rout” or even potential “annhilation.” UK Labour grandees Alan Johnson, Jack Straw and Alastair Campbell have chimed in with similar.

The concept is that elections are decided by ‘centrist voters’ that Tony Blair and UK Labour Blairite MPs are supposedly closely connected to.

Blowing this Tory Labour nonsense to bits is a new poll showing that Jeremy Corbyn fairs very well against his leadership competition when ordinary voters are asked. He comes either number 1 or number 2 in factors such as trustworthiness, being in touch with ordinary people, intelligence and charisma.

survation

Thirty-two percent of the interviewees said Corbyn, who has never held a government post, would make them more likely to vote for Labour in the next election, which is scheduled for 2020. Burnham came in second with 25. The poll was conducted around the same time former Prime Minister Tony Blair penned a Guardian column claiming that electing the 66-year-old Corbyn would result in electoral “annihilation.”

Voters thought that Corbyn would be a particularly effective leader for the opposition in parliament, with 31 percent of those surveyed saying he would hold the Conservatives to account, compared to 27 who favored Burnham, and less than 15 favoring the other two candidates.

So where does this leave the increasingly frantic claims by the Blairites and the Tory Labourites that Corbyn is the equivalent of the electoral Black Death for UK Labour?

My conclusion is that Jeremy Corbyn is bringing to the UK electorate a choice that it wants and that it has been missing: a real Labour Party offering real Labour values and a real Labour difference. And the ruling establishment clique, both within UK Labour itself and in general, don’t like that fact one bit.

70 comments on “Surprise – ordinary UK voters like Jeremy Corbyn too ”

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  1. johnm 1
    16 August 2015 at 7:59 pm

    100% right CV. The ordinary Brit has had a gutsfull of austerity for the poor and riches for the already rich plus the degradation of the tax revenue base.

  2. James 2
    16 August 2015 at 8:04 pm

    I hope he wins. I really do.

    • In Vino 2.1
      16 August 2015 at 8:26 pm

      Smugness is not an admirable quality, nor is the false pride that accompanies it.

      • weka 2.1.1
        16 August 2015 at 8:27 pm

        What does that have to do with James’ comment? (which appear to me to be an expression of his desires).

        • In Vino 2.1.1.1
          16 August 2015 at 8:31 pm

          No, I interpret James as wanting the win because it will damn and destroy the Left. I saw James as a troll.

          • Colonial Viper 2.1.1.1.1
            16 August 2015 at 8:45 pm

            Yeah, ol James is trying out the meme that a Corbyn victory will ensure Conservative power for a generation.

            • James 2.1.1.1.1.1
              17 August 2015 at 10:41 am

              Not quite.

              I think that the generation thing is just a stupid argument from those making it.

              But I do think that Corbyn is unelectable for a general election.

              Still – it looks like he will win, and only time will tell if I am right, or if you are.

              Im pretty confident tho’.

              • lurgee …
                17 August 2015 at 8:12 pm

                I think it is unlikely that Corbyn plans to contst the 2020 election. He’ll be over 70 by then.

                I think it is more likely that he plans to win the leadership, alter the election rules to make it easier for leftwingers to get on the ballot, conduct a big policy review, touching on things the Blairites don’t like, and then resign in 2018 to become one of the most intriguing footnotes in British political history.

                Labour have some good talent coming through. A 2018 leadership election might feature:

                Keir Starmer
                Dan Jarvis
                Lisa Nandy
                Jon Cruddas
                John Dugher

                None of whom, remarkably, make me want to punch them repeatedly (Dugher maybe …). It’s a mostly centre-left list and the Blairite relics that have made the last couple of months so unbearable must surely have finally received the message by then. Not. Wanted.

          • Clemgeopin 2.1.1.1.2
            16 August 2015 at 8:45 pm

            +1

        • Stuart Munro 2.1.1.2
          16 August 2015 at 8:32 pm

          It depends whether it is a reference to Corbyn or to Blair.

    • weka 3.1
      16 August 2015 at 8:26 pm

      I’m not sure what I am more shocked by. The Daily Mail running a race card smear story against Corbyn the day before Labour party members start voting. Or the idea that a Western leader would have dealings with a non-Western leader who is into violence.

      /extreme sarc

    • In Vino 3.2
      16 August 2015 at 8:29 pm

      The Gutter Press (Tabloids) occasionally find that their bullshit flies straight back from the fan.

      • Kevin 3.2.1
        16 August 2015 at 8:34 pm

        I don’t follow the daily mail so I don’t know whether they are gutter press or not. The question is is the story BS or not? If it is the Corbyn has nothing to worry about. If not then Corbyn has some explaining to do. The only defence I can see is that he was being diplomatic.

        [lprent: See my reply. http://thestandard.org.nz/surprise-ordinary-uk-voters-like-jeremy-corbyn-too/#comment-1059532 ]

        • Colonial Viper 3.2.1.1
          16 August 2015 at 8:47 pm

          Corbyn was seeking dialogue. I know you RWNJ types prefer war, but in reality, dialogue is far preferable.

          Meanwhile, I suggest you get back to the point of the post: Corbyn’s poll ratings in the leadership race.

          • Kevin 3.2.1.1.1
            16 August 2015 at 9:00 pm

            I don’t believe in talking to terrorists.

            But anyway, this bit I find the most interesting:

            “Thirty-two percent of the interviewees said Corbyn, who has never held a government post, would make them more likely to vote for Labour in the next election, which is scheduled for 2020. Burnham came in second with 25. ”

            Yes that could mean swing voters would vote Labour if Corbyn was in charge. It could also mean that he’s the best of a bad bunch and they would still vote Tory.

            A better question would have been something like:

            “If an election was held tomorrow and Corbyn was in charge of the Labour party, would you vote Labour?”

            And what does RWNJ stand for anyway? Right Wing Nutjob? Meh, I’ve got a thick skin and have used the term “looney left” on the odd occasion.

            • joe90 3.2.1.1.1.1
              16 August 2015 at 9:50 pm

              I don’t believe in talking to terrorists.

              RWNJ wants forever war because no modern popular insurgency has ever been beaten militarily and every peace made with every modern popular insurgency has been a through a negotiated settlement.

              http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/07/-sp-how-to-talk-to-terrorists-isis-al-qaida?CMP=fb_gu

            • swordfish 3.2.1.1.1.2
              16 August 2015 at 10:04 pm

              “I don’t believe in talking to terrorists”

              In which case, you’d have to oppose the close relationship that both the Tories and Blairite Labour Party have enjoyed with the leaders of an Israeli State that regularly massacres Palestinian and Lebanese civilians in order to achieve its political goals. Indeed, the two major Parties in the UK made membership of their respective Friends of Israel Parliamentary lobbies almost mandatory for any MP aspiring to high office.

              That sort of cuddling-up to State Terrorism must have made a highly-principled bloke like yourself absolutely livid !!!

              Or perhaps just quietly seething,….. very quietly.

            • pete 3.2.1.1.1.3
              17 August 2015 at 6:09 pm

              You’re not talking to Americans?

          • rhinocrates 3.2.1.1.2
            16 August 2015 at 9:20 pm

            Well, if you wants to know where the Daily Mail’s coming from, this is a pretty good demonstration from a newspaper that does have a rather better reputation for journalistic integrity.

            http://i100.independent.co.uk/article/what-happens-when-you-comment-on-daily-mail-articles-with-actual-nazi-propaganda–Zy4ccsnBEx

            It does what it says on the tin. The reporter took quotes from Nazi propaganda, changed “Jew” to “migrant” and the Daily Mail was happy to post them online… and they got a lot of upvotes. It’s a nice inversion of Godwin’s law as a trolling exercise.

            It doesn’t get called The Daily Heil for nothing… and I don’t think Kezza is the sharpest spoon in the drawer.

            • Kevin 3.2.1.1.2.1
              17 August 2015 at 7:32 am

              Like I said I don’t read the Daily Mail. [deleted for idiot trolling]

              [lprent: What is your opinion! We couldn’t give a pigs arse for the opinion of some fuckwit at the Daily Mail – apart from noting that they appear to have been short of any verifiable facts in the article. Anyone who reads it will have some opinion on it. We want yours.

              This site is for expressing opinions and optionally backing them with facts.

              Trying the old “what do others think of this” is a classic troll pattern for trying to avoid actually stating an opinion while leaving escape room. It is also used for insinuating memes with links. And it typically starts stupid flamewars with idiots like you saying “But I didn’t actually say that”.

              I prefer to get rid of the problem early – in this case you. Put your ego under the hammer or don’t comment here. One more of these kinds of comment and you will receive a 4 week ban (with a double up every time you try to avoid the ban). ]

              • locus …
                17 August 2015 at 8:22 am

                hmm… and if jesus hadn’t spent a bit of time with paul the zealot where would christianity be?

                just musing……

              • rhinocrates …
                17 August 2015 at 11:41 am

                Oh no, you just happen to “conveniently find” that article. Right. Sure. I believe you. Really.

                “Disingenuous” is a word I’m thinking of. Look it up.

        • joe90 3.2.1.2
          16 August 2015 at 9:26 pm

          I don’t follow the daily mail so I don’t know whether they are gutter press or not.

          You’d be a natural fit for a rag that is and always has been a fa*cist mouthpiece and owned today by a descendant of the original fa*scist supporters.

          https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/%22Hurrah_for_the_Blackshirts!%22.jpg

          • rhinocrates 3.2.1.2.1
            16 August 2015 at 10:49 pm

            Given that Kezza’s referenced Cracked as an authority on scientific method and the Daily Heil as an authority on politics, I expect him to cite Spongebob Squarepants as a source on marine biology and The Flintstones on archaeology next.

            • Kevin 3.2.1.2.1.1
              17 August 2015 at 7:39 am

              Um, Cracked is a left-leaning liberal site that disguises itself as a “comedy” site (although it is pretty funny) and has a strong pro AGW stance. Just out of interest did you read the article? It applies just as much to people who put up “evidence” that AGW isn’t happening as it does to those who believe it is. Also, I would like to remind you of The Standard’s policy on person attacks.

              [lprent: We also have a policy on people trying to do our roles. The phrase is “pointless personal attacks” and rhino knows it well. Which is why it was rather a pointed observation on your behaviour. ]

              • rhinocrates …
                17 August 2015 at 11:35 am

                There you demonstrate your fundamental – or deliberate – ignorance of science.

                Yes, I did read it – with my palm affixed to my forehead. lprent has dealt with the article in detail where you originally cited it. There’s no point in me repeating what he wrote.

                So what if you define Cracked as a “liberal” site? Idiocy is idiocy no matter who writes it – and people who quote it to serve their own agenda are disingenuous idiots – and you’re even clumsier than Hoots.

                As for your delicate feelings… didn’t you say that you were thick skinned? Funny that you start wailing now. Try to keep a level head and then you can dribble out both sides of your mouth.

          • Kevin 3.2.1.2.2
            17 August 2015 at 7:09 am

            “You’d be a natural fit for a rag that is and always has been a fa*cist mouthpiece”

            I regard that as a personal attack and would like to remind you of TheStandard policy: “What we’re not prepared to accept are pointless personal attacks, or tone or language that has the effect of excluding others. We are intolerant of people starting or continuing flamewars where there is little discussion or debate. ”

            I’ve put up a link that others have challenged (and fair enough), offered a defense (that Corbyn was being diplomatic) and put my own interpretation on the poll mentioned by the author.

            [lprent: Read the policy again and think about the precision of the phrase – “pointless personal attacks”.

            That was a rather pointed personal attack. We allow those here because while we can’t stop trolls from writing, it does allow an opportunity for barbed comments, and is the most effective way to deal with people with behavioral issues by other commenters. ]

        • lprent 3.2.1.3
          16 August 2015 at 11:10 pm

          Or the Daily Mail spun something innocuous into something that a moronic fuckwit like you would think was significiant. I haven’t bothered to read the article, but your two comments on it do not state your opinion – which is what this site is for.

          You appear to have no level of intelligent judgement when you are reading material and putting in links, and I suspect you are doing fire and forget trolling with links. I really don’t like that…

          I suspect that have just drawn my attention, so it’d pay you to lift your game a lot. To be precise, I expect you to defend your links and why you found them interesting. If you don’t I will permanently ban you as just another idiot troll astroturfing.

          You have a week of auto-moderation to lift your comment standard above silly trolling.

          Yeah I am rather irritated with you, I didn’t like you trying to dodge around the ban. Remember we can figure out which person you are even if you shift handles and IPs. This costs us extra work, and generally we prefer to simply excise the work makers.

          If I see you do that again, I will simply ban you permanently.

          • Kevin 3.2.1.3.1
            17 August 2015 at 7:26 am

            Actually I didn’t even know I was banned until I did a search. All I knew is my comments weren’t showing up. Just as suggestion maybe have something like “Commenting disabled” message? Also and honestly I’m just trying to helpful here and you probably already know this, but you can get information about someone’s computer using the HTML canvas element – kind of like a digital footprint – meaning you can identify someone even if they change IPs, handles etc – without having to do any extra work.

            I posted the link as the author is putting forward the argument that Corbyn is gaining popularity. My opinion is that after the video referenced in the video politically Corbyn is dead in the water. Others have challenged the link specifically the credibility of the Daily Mail.

            But as I’ve said if the Daily Mail is wrong and or lying then Corbyn has nothing to worry about. If the Daily Mail is right then, in my opinion, he has some major explaining to do.

            Time will tell.

            [lprent: Well Duh! A kind of obvious hint.

            Why should I spend code on people who get banned? They can search, and the lack of comment appearing is a pretty good indication that they should look at their recent comments by clicking their name.

            We expect people to read the reactions to their comments – otherwise why did they put them up?

            Don’t give a damn about you putting the link up. It was the way that you wrote the comment that was a problem. It is a classic troll pattern to do the “I heard about this and don’t really know what to think” flame starter.

            That wasn’t an opinion. It didn’t reference anything in the article. Didn’t say why you found it to be an issue. It was just a way for you to put the link in without getting your opinions mashed and so you didn’t have any personal accountability. A classic idiot troll astroturfing.

            Guess what – you can’t do that duckway here. This is a place for robust debate, not one for gutless cowards who are too scared to use their brains. Instead they prefer the idiotic lines for some PR fuckwit.

            If you do it again, then I’m putting you up for a 4 week ban. ]

            • locus 3.2.1.3.1.1
              17 August 2015 at 8:33 am

              “But as I’ve said if the Daily Mail is wrong and or lying then Corbyn has nothing to worry about”

              Well of course, how reasonable of you. After all the Daily Mail is always right and it’s framing of people and stories never does any harm…
              http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Daily_Mail

              • Kevin …
                17 August 2015 at 8:41 am

                Well if the Mail is proven to be have been bullshitting then in my opinion it will only increase Corbyn’s popularity as he will been seen to have been unfairly attacked.

    • Jan Rivers 3.3
      16 August 2015 at 9:16 pm

      All of the 10 points in Corbyn’s ‘Standing to Deliver’ manifesto are slap bang in the middle of social democracy and many should be things that Conservatives should also support.
      http://www.jeremyforlabour.com/jeremy_corbyn_launches_standing_to_deliver

      Beneficent rulers through the ages have often delivered equivalent goods to the people they have ruled, often without the constraints and expectations of democracy.It is a sign of how far the neo-liberal mindset has taken hold that life long education, a halt to wars based on lies and warm dry homes are seen as partisan. These are central elements of the social contract – what people should expect as part of their consent to be governed.

      What is risky about Corbyn’s candidacy is the strength of neo-liberal propaganda. Who has read Naomi Klein’s This changes everything?The figures on attitude change once the American right and the carbon industry decided to change the public’s minds on climate change are truly alarming, There was a 30% drop in the number of people who ‘believed’ in climate change over a few years as a result of attacks on scientists and the science. The challenge is to counter the mendacity of those with money and access to media platforms who would do the same to a social democratic party led by Corbyn. Today’s Daily Mail story is the first shot over the bows.

      • Kevin 3.3.1
        17 August 2015 at 7:44 am

        [deleted]

        [lprent: Banned – 4 weeks for being a fuckwit troll. ]

        • rhinocrates 3.3.1.1
          17 August 2015 at 12:07 pm

          Butter wouldn’t melt…

          Lyndon Johnson proposed spreading a rumour that a political opponent had fucked a pig. An advisor was aghast, saying that they could never prove such a thing. “I don’t care if he fucked a pig,” Johnson replied. “I just want him to get up and deny fucking a pig.”

          Meanwhile, the fact that the Daily Mail is a fa*cist-supporting rag and its reader’s (such as yourself) have opinions that are congruent with fa*cists has been proven.

  4. Clemgeopin 4
    16 August 2015 at 8:44 pm

    He is an excellent person and a worthy leader. I would vote for him without any hesitation. That is why I am disappointed that, going by the information in the graph above, his support is not overwhelming compared to the other three.

    I am keen to know what % of support he has from (a) pro Labour voters (b) the general voters to be a future PM.

    There are still 5 more years to the actual general election by which time he will be 71 years. In that time, hopefully there will be a steady silent revolution towards worthwhile socialism not only in UK but in USA (Bernie Sanders) and all over the world. Tough ask. Hope is eternal! Fingers crossed knowing that (a) People overall think first of Numero Ono rather than others (b) The big money interests will try very hard to play dirty politics and damage his reputation.

    • RedLogix 4.1
      16 August 2015 at 10:53 pm

      Two thoughts;

      1. Five years is a long time. Anything could happen – translating Corbyn’s results today tell us little about a possible new UK govt in 2020.

      2. More importantly Corbyn is brightly exposing the Establishment and it’s numerous minions for who they are. Their increasingly rabid, panicked denunciations are the equivalent of the kind of indelible ink that is sprayed on stolen money to render it useless for any future purpose.

      • Clemgeopin 4.1.1
        17 August 2015 at 1:29 am

        Good points, hopefully you are correct about the second if you mean (I am not sure what you mean) that the dirt won’t stick on Corbyn. (Or did you mean that Corbyn will be rendered useless?).

  5. swordfish 5
    16 August 2015 at 10:47 pm

    Beat me to it, CV. I’m in the middle of a sub zero politics post taking a detailed look at the various poll results, in the process testing some of the more sweeping claims made by Corbyn’s Blairite, Tory and MSM critics.

    Here’s a few breakdowns from the Survation Poll:

    If Corbyn was Leader would you be more likely to vote Labour in the (next) General Election ?

    All 32%
    Lib Dems 34%
    Ukip 33%
    Tory 19%
    Undecided 24%
    2015 Non-Voters 31%

    Labour, Lib Dem, Ukip, and minor party supporters (as well as 2015 non-voters) all think Corbyn will make the best PM of the 4 candidates.

    Corbyn was also considered the most likely to take Labour in the right direction (meaning left) and was deemed – by a wide margin – to have the best ideas for the future of the UK (winning the latter category with supporters of all parties as well as 2015 non-voters and the currently undecided).

    • Clemgeopin 5.1
      17 August 2015 at 12:13 am

      Thanks for that, swordfish. Good question: ‘If Corbyn was Leader would you be more likely to vote Labour in the (next) General Election ?’

      I am a little disappointed by the low % from…

      All 32% [Too low, prefer close to 40%+]
      Tory 19% [That is ok]
      Undecided 24% [Not good enough]
      2015 Non-Voters 31% [Not good]
      ———–
      What is the % for Labour supporters? Do they have that number?

  6. Tory 6
    17 August 2015 at 6:03 am

    So once again the left “cherry picks” an opinion poll that suits its agenda and concludes that the right have got it all wrong about Corbyn.
    On the 19 September2014, MS posted on this site that the final 3 opinion polls (NZ general election) all pointed to the election going down to the wire and he “would not be surprised if National ends up in the very low 40’s). So, given the disaster the left experienced and views often expressed on this site that polls are manipulated etc, why so much hope/optimism regarding this one? As I have been in Europe/UK all summer, Corbyn has certainly won over the far left vote but you are clutching at straws if you think this will extrapolate into an election win in 5 years.

    • Clemgeopin 6.1
      17 August 2015 at 9:11 am

      “So once again the left “cherry picks” an opinion poll that suits its agenda and concludes that the right have got it all wrong about Corbyn”

      So have you seen a different poll with similar questions but with an unfavourable result as you imply above?

      Re NZ elections, some unusual stuff happened during the last week, including Abbott in Australia announcing major terrorist threats.

      [Australia raids over ‘Islamic State plot to behead’: Police have carried out anti-terrorism raids in Sydney sparked by intelligence reports that Islamist extremists were planning random killings in Australia.

      PM Tony Abbott said a senior Australian Islamic State militant had called for “demonstration killings”, reportedly including a public beheading.

      The raids, with at least 800 heavily armed officers, led to 15
      arrests.]

      http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-29245611

      That was just 48 hours before our election. I believe that had a significant effect.

      And remember that National just scraped through (47%) and with the help of the appox 0% to 1% parties, ACT, Dunne and the hapless Maori Party.

      • mikesh 6.1.1
        17 August 2015 at 11:28 am

        “‘And remember that National just scraped through (47%) and with the help of the appox 0% to 1% parties, ACT, Dunne and the hapless Maori Party.”

        And various parties asking their supporters to vote for Kelvin Davis.

        • Clemgeopin 6.1.1.1
          17 August 2015 at 4:51 pm

          +1.
          The problem for Labour is that voters are giving it primarily the constituent vote rather than the party vote first. So the party vote gets distributed all over the show. It is the PARTY VOTE that is crucial.

          • Colonial Viper 6.1.1.1.1
            17 August 2015 at 6:47 pm

            Labour strategists and certain MPs seem slow in figuring that out.

            Strike that; certain Labour MPs see the electorate vote as being crucial because that is what is going to get them back into Parliament.

            • Craig H 6.1.1.1.1.1
              17 August 2015 at 9:24 pm

              That’s not what any of them have said any time I’ve chatted with them or heard them speak to the faithful – the MPs are well aware that winning seats alone doesn’t get them into government.

            • Clemgeopin 6.1.1.1.1.2
              17 August 2015 at 10:45 pm

              Yes, that is a BIG problem for the Labour party. Their party votes get siphoned off to two bit minor parties from Labour supporters with ‘good intentions’ but with poor understanding of how elections are won for their party.

              I am not sure how to solve this major albatross around their necks.

              Probably by…

              (1) Educating/encouraging all those who are Labour supporters or those who would like to see a Labour led government to first give their party vote to Labour and THEN give their candidate vote to the best possible left leaning candidate or the candidate that has the best chance of beating a RW candidate in the constituency.

              (2) By carefully organising the Labour party list.

              (3) By having electoral understanding with allied parties in some electorates or some marginal electorates.

  7. The lost sheep 7
    17 August 2015 at 6:16 am

    The ComRes poll finds 31 per cent of voters think that Mr Corbyn would worsen Labour’s chances if he became leader, as against 21 per cent who say he would improve them, an overall score of -10. Out of the leadership candidates, Andy Burnham is best placed to improve Labour’s chances, on +5, followed by Yvette Cooper on -3 and Ms Kendall on -6. But the potential leader with the best rating is David Miliband, who quit British politics two years ago, with an overall score of +11.

    The poll finds that more than twice as many British adults think that Mr Corbyn as Prime Minister would make the state of the British economy worse rather than better (36 per cent versus 14 per cent); while three times as many think he would make Britain’s standing around the world worse rather than better (37 per cent to 11 per cent).

    http://comres.co.uk/polls/sunday-mirror-independent-on-sunday-august-poll/

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jeremy-corbyn-would-reduce-labours-chances-of-winning-the-next-election-poll-reveals-10457458.html

    • swordfish 7.1
      17 August 2015 at 7:31 am

      Wow !

      You mean after an onslaught of abuse and scorn from a plethora of Neo-Liberal Establishment worthies, Blairite, Tory and MSM alike, each desperately pushing the line that Corbyn is absolutely toxic to voters and hasn’t a snowball’s chance in Hell of winning an Election, almost 70% !!! of respondents to all poll decided to ignore all the hysteria ?

      A big chunk of that 31%, incidentally, comes courtesy of the 50% of Tories who replied “Worsen”.

      Oh, and although you wouldn’t know it from some of the biased reporting, Corbyn has a higher Improve chances rating than any of the other 3 candidates.

  8. Tory 8
    17 August 2015 at 7:15 am

    TLS, so why advocate that this poll is right, especially when the left got it so badly wrong in NZ in 2014? This site seems happy to swoon in optimism if a poll provides the results you want to hear but as I pointed out previously your commentators were that far off the mark last election it wasn’t funny. I agree with what TLS has pointed out that overall Corbyns politics are toxic exempt to the few on the extreme left and like it or not it’s the votes in the centre that count.

    • locus 8.1
      17 August 2015 at 7:55 am

      polls are as right as the moment in time they capture – and the quality of the sampling strategy used

      in this case what the polls are telling us is that the majority of UK left wing voters prefer Corbyn over the other leadership candidates for the Labour party

      when people are asked why, they say it’s because he is a ‘real’ person – he’s winning them over by going out and talking about things that really matter to them, he expresses his opinions openly and honestly, answers questions without prevarication and doesn’t do personal (dirty) politics

      people are sick of the spin, bullshit and media gloss that they are so used to seeing from most other politicians

      You say: “Corbyns politics are toxic exempt to the few on the extreme left and like it or not it’s the votes in the centre that count.”

      you don’t quite get it do you…. the mood is changing … it’s ‘ordinary people’ – not “extreme left” who are hearing in Corbyn a voice that they can relate to.

      And if these ‘ordinary people’ are the ‘centre’ then i guess that on 7 May 2020 we’ll get to see the poll that really counts

  9. Sanctuary 9
    17 August 2015 at 8:31 am

    I was sitting at work reading a Q&A about a planned restructure and the companies answers were all PR weasel words and equivocation that basically meant nothing. It occurred to me that what voters yearn for more than anything else in a world saturated with corporate and political propaganda which asserts black is white is a straight answer to a straight question. So it almost doesn’t matter that, say, Donald Trump is an outrageous racist because he at least is up front about it. Corbyn is that sort of candidate. Yes, he is a left winger. And he has a set of reasonably popular policies that are clear. And he answers straight questions with straight answers.

  10. Raf 10
    17 August 2015 at 8:58 am

    This though from The Guardian today, well worth a read:-

    “The point is, Corbyn doesn’t have to be right about everything; he doesn’t have to be certain, and fully costed about everything; he doesn’t even have to be responsive and listening to everything. This political moment is about breaking open the doors and letting the 21st century in. We have been labouring since the financial crash under political verities based on economic principles that not even economists will vouch for any more. The internal critics of the current capitalist model are everywhere: the only people still cleaving to these ideas are the political class and the technocrats who support them. The absolutely vital thing is to wrest the conversation away from leaders who won’t critique the existing order for fear of sounding “anti-business”, otherwise we will be mired in the mistakes of yesterday for ever… etc”

    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/16/jeremy-corbyn-corbynomics-cosy-consensus-debt-radical-fear

  11. Smilin 11
    17 August 2015 at 11:30 am

    We’ve been living with Laissez Faire since the 90’s Why not a resurgence in SOCIALISM to balance the books

  12. rhinocrates 12
    17 August 2015 at 3:24 pm

    Jeremy Corbyn’s rival, Kendall on the disabled.

    “Yes we must support the disabled, but we must support ordinary people as well.”

    https://www.change.org/p/liz-kendall-mp-parliament-uk-kendall-should-apologise-to-disabled-people?recruiter=26723408&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=autopublish&utm_term=des-lg-share_petition-reason_msg&fb_ref=Default

    http://samedifference1.com/2015/08/17/petition-calling-for-apology-from-liz-kendall-for-recent-comment-about-disabled-people/

    http://samedifference1.com/2015/08/17/my-personal-reaction-to-liz-kendalls-comments/

    The last includes this quote:

    “I’ve spent thirty years trying hard to prove to the world that I AM an ordinary person […] I fought to study in ‘ordinary’ schools, I fought to work in an ‘ordinary’ workplace. Many others fought for much ‘smaller’ rights to do ‘ordinary’ things safely.”

    The patronising phoney populism of ‘get to the back of the queue and wait for your turn’ is all too typical of the privileged middle class ‘centrists’ who claim to be progressives, take their privileges for granted and dismiss people with special needs as a distraction. We’ve seen the same here.

  13. pete 13
    17 August 2015 at 6:14 pm

    I just hope the NZ Labour Party takes a leaf out of Jeremy Corbyns book – but I’m not holding my hopes high.

    A really good start would be to not take campaign dollars from corporates.

  14. The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 14
    17 August 2015 at 6:45 pm

    Give up righties! They know everything. They cannot be told.

    Leave them to dig up Michael Foot, I say.

    • locus 14.1
      18 August 2015 at 6:42 am

      ah yes, point at someone whose values and appearance didn’t appeal to daily bigot supporters 30 years ago to suggest that there’s some sort of parallel….

      the world has turned since then… and new generations have been subject to thatcherism, new labour tory-lite, neo-liberalism and the dirty politics, spin and deals of modern era corporate cronyism

      now if michael were alive today there’s a whole new generation who would love him
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD41YktmOH0

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