Now from here on in, lets say that I have absolutely no in-depth
knowledge of politics. Everything I know has been skimmed of the top of the
politics milk jug.
BUT politics is one of those things that affects everyone, and everyone
should have their two cents. I hate it when people get high and mighty with
information and act like you can't talk about something unless you
know ALL the dates, ALL the history, ALL there is to know about
the subjects linked, and the EXACT etymology of the very word 'politics' (What
the hell do you know of politics?! You don't even know whether it's derived
from a Latin or Greek word?!).
I feel this particular subject is particularly good at bringing the
sneer out of people. We've got to realise that the everyone in the population can vote, and
accept it that not everyone in the population has a huge interest in politics.
Basically, whatever is running on the surface is SO important (which is why where
you get your information from is crucial...I'm looking at you Daily Mail)
because that's what the information that the majority of people are voting
with. That's democracy, and people that judge because you're not aware of all
in the in's and out's, suck it.
If we had to know EVERYTHING about something before we can talk about it
then we would seriously have no time to watch Made In Chelsea/eat/sleep/eat in
bed then sleep - and that is not a world I want to live
in.
As long as you're honest with what you know and don't try and bullshit
your way through, it's fiiiiine! I try to be open with what people tell me (but
also fact-check it) and don't bite back if fellow debaters get all elitist.
ANYWAY. Jeremy Corbyn.
Corbyn first came in my periphery when I saw articles talking about the
Corbyn beard and how it's catching on - Corbyn fever. A Corbyn beard turned out
to be an ungroomed, quite shaggy, and for top marks - a bit greying. I had no
problem with this and carried on happily. A bit later I found out he was
running for Leader in Labour, following Ed Milliband's resignation. (I'll
always have a soft spot for Milliband because he mentioned internet pop culture
in his losing speech - that's right, his fangirls called the Milifandom)
Next, I determined that apparently this Corbyn fellow must have quite
different views to other policitians, as I read that he 'was so bad' that Tory
members were voting for him as a sabotage strategy. I thought this humorous
and that I'd probably like him.
Then, I read that he had WON. Cue some quick research to see who this
guy is and whether it's good news.
- Turns out he has
never lead any position (ooh heck).
- I thought Labour
was left. Up to the election I read and agreed that the Labour and Tory parties
are becoming so similar, that Labour can hardly be left anymore. Turns out that
this dude is well and truly LEFT.
- During a speech quite a few years
ago, he actually shouted 'FUCK THE RICH'........coming from our possible future
Prime Minister Ladies and Gentlemen, I actually feel excited.
- I quote Wikipedia:
'Between 1997 and 2010, during the most recent Labour Government, Corbyn was
the most rebellious of all Labour MPs, regularly defying three-line whips. In
the 2005–2010 Parliament alone he defied the whip 238 times,
approximately 25% of all votes.'
- I googled three-line
whips and didn't get it, but apparently you don't take defying them lightly,
there are serious consequences...and this dude did it 238 times! Don't we all
love a rebel?!
- It was never thought
that he could win, in fact he almost didn't. He collected just enough votes to
run for leader...with just 2 minutes before the deadline. He was quoted as
saying "We had two minutes to spare, it was easy".
- Dame Margaret
Beckett, who lent her support to Corbyn to see that we had a range of people to
vote for, says she regrets nominating him.
- 8 high-up Labour
members resigned as soon as he won, some are already preparing to oust him.
How would he feel if he actually won? “Interested,” he says calmly. “And hopeful that we could bring about some changes in Britain.” Would it scare him? He closes his eyes, as if imagining himself as Labour leader for the first time. “Scare me?” He smiles. “It would be a challenge.”
Is anybody happy with him winning?! YES. He won with a landslide of
59.5% of the votes. Some people are ecstatic.
I'm going to sum up why I love that beard-wearing slightly-bit-homeless
looking man. The Guardian posted an excellent article that summarises Corbyn's
main beliefs, and so I'm going to use that verbatim at points. Hey, why write
it again when it's already been written perfectly? Quotes are in pink.
First of all his political stances:
Immigration - Refugees
Corbyn is a refugee sympathiser...YAY. I definitely think we should take
care of our own, and by our own I mean humans. So I won the luck lottery and
was born in a wealthy country where my human rights are constantly considered
and I get free education/health care and many other benefits. I didn't earn it,
I was just selected randomly out of the little cloud where cute consiousness'
hang around ready to be born. Perhaps if we weren't aware of awful disgusting
things that have happened in the history of humans, we might make the mistake
of not helping our fellow man. But we are aware and we know how horrible things
can get. I judge the past nations that have seen these things and did
absolutely nothing to help. Corbyn has said the debate on immigration
has been “poisoned” and that migration is a global phenomenon that has been
going on for hundreds of years.
Welfare
Corbyn was one of the 48 Labour rebels who defied
the party whip and voted against the government’s welfare reform bill. He said:
"We are one of the richest countries in the world and there is
absolutely no reason why anyone should have to live in poverty."
On Healthcare
Corbyn has promised a “fully funded NHS, integrated
with social care, with an end to privatisation in health”. His website states
that the “principle of universal healthcare which is free at the point of use
is something that we all deserve and should be absolutely protected.”
Corbyn has also pledged to tackle the “mental
health crisis” and improve mental health coverage in the country. He will grow
rather than cut mental health budgets and ensure mental health education is
taught in schools.
Gender Equality
Corbyn has pledged
to do more to address discrimination in the workplace, at home and on the
streets. He has called for an end to the cuts to public services and welfare
that drive women and families into poverty, including the cuts to women’s
refuges and services for domestic violence.
After discussions with some women groups, he has
entertained the idea of women-only carriages on public transport. He said that
this isn't his preferred choice but is open to the idea.
HINT HINT OTHER
POLITICIANS: He didn't agree with something but didn't assume he knew
best because he knew he has no experience of what it is like as a woman. People
have not liked the idea as they said it is akin to segregation, but that's fine
because all he said was that he will consult women's opinions. Can you imagine
if they had politicians like this in power in America?!
Education
"I want to apologise on behalf of the Labour party to the last
generation of students for the imposition of fees, top-up fees and the
replacement of grants with loans by previous Labour governments. I opposed
those changes at the time – as did many others – and now we have an opportunity
to change course." - SOUNDS GOOD.
Economy....? I mean...ECONOMY!
Riiiiiight one thing I'm going to miss out on
because I really don't have a clue. Pop to the Guardian website to find out
what he thinks about the economy, because I can't talk about something I don't
know is good or bad! Anti-austerity? Is that good? He does say he's going to
tax the rich more. Now I'm not like YAAAAY because I know I'm not rich so it
doesn't affect me. BUT I'm like YAAAAAY because the bigger the inequality gap
is between the poor and the wealthy, basically, the shitter EVERYTHING is. Crime,
ill-health, violence, drugs etc. Inequality is as bad as the rich as it is for
the poor. This book covers it all.
So that's right, he'd tax you more, but he's thinking of your well being whilst
he's doing it. How kind!
On Foreign Policy
Corbyn was opposed to the Iraq war and has
suggested that Tony Blair should stand trial as a war criminal over it. It was only my last
year in university when I was doing a module I had to research this a little
bit. I had always thought that we went to war because there was a dictator who
was abusing his people and they were threatening weapons of mass destruction.
Turns out, no. Top dog Republicans, being pretty darn clear, are quoted as saying that
we went to war for...OIL. 'I am saddened that it is
politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is
largely about oil'. Of course there's much much much more to it, but
I feel pretty betrayed by that.
Defence Strategy
Now this is where I'm unsure. Corbyn has been a member of the Committee
for Nuclear Disarmament since he could walk (jokes, since he was 16. Which is
still impressive because at this age I was only just realising there was more
music than what was in the Top 40). I know nuclear weapons = very very bad. But
I also know we have nuclear weapons as a deterrent, so it stops people from
nuclear-ing us. I would absolutely love it if everyone in the whole wide world
promised that we wouldn't use them, get rid of them and we could all sit
down and have a picnic instead. But I don't think this is going to happen.
Corbyn has also said that he would not bomb the ISIS at all.
While I love that that we have someone who holds other peoples lives
as sacred, I feel as though it may be unrealistic. If only Corbyn was
in power back in the time that we fucked up the Middle East ourselves and
caused a helluva lot of future trouble for us. This is where I practically know
nothing, but I gather that what we have done in the past (unnecessary wars,
selling arms...and other things that I am yet to research so I can actually
remember) has largely contributed to our current situation. BUT unfortunately
time machines do not exist and we are where we are. Lets just say that if
terrorist groups that are barbaric (but horrifically good at social media)
weren't to exist anymore because they had been killed by us then I would feel
happier? Safer? Oh god this is too deep, where's the moral line! But if we
wiped them out then surely that wouldn't be the end all? Here is my definite
grey area. I wouldn't like to have to harm others, but I would definitely still
like to live in freedom in my country and would want anything that seriously
threatened that to be...gone.
Anyhoo. I'm not saying that Corbyn is going to kill us all with his
'don't step on that slug, it's a living creature' attitude, I just think we've
never seen it before where someone who could possibly be in power is so
reluctant to be on the attack. I' cant't say I'm not intrigued! Also, Corbyn's deputy, as said he takes the opposite stance to Corbyn in this area. Everything's up for debate.
Let's say that if all the leaders shared Corbyn's view, we would live in
a much safer, looked-after world. Education is the answer to everything and
perhaps it starts with Corbyn. Just because we're dealing with human-rights
ignoring, environment-ignoring leaders doesn't mean we toss the towel, go OH
WELL and join in.
Now then, manifesto aside, it's following that really bring it home:
- Human Rights - He's a big player in Amnesty International
- Green party are definitely more happy - he is quite similar to their ideologies!
- His first wife said their life was all politics. In the years that they were married, he never took her for dinner and they were constantly busy attending events. She said he would prefer to open a tin of beans and eat them to save time. Guys, he might be a rubbish husband but you can't say he's not committed.
- He's played a huge part in protests - he helped organise the February anti-war protest which was thought to be largest political protest in British history.
- He is a committed anti-fascist, having spoken at the major Unite Against Fascism and Trades Union Congress joint anti-British National Party rally in December 2001, and was the keynote speaker at Unite Against Fascism's annual conference in 2007.
- Massive activist for LBGT
- Vegetarian since he was 20 after he worked on a pig farm. Have we ever had a vegetarian PM? I want one! Can we keep him, can we?! Imagine the complete upheaval he would carry out in agriculture!
- He is known for being frugal, for being teetotal, for his disciplined lifestyle and resisting luxury. He's practically a monk. Corbyn told Simon Hattenstone of The Guardian in June 2015, "I don't spend a lot of money, I lead a very normal life, I ride a bicycle and I don't have a car."
- EXPENSES SCANDAL. Now then this one of the best bits. Back when the Expenses Scandal was dismaying the public, and making me think they're all corrupt, little Jeremy Corbyn had the LOWEST expenses of them all.
And this, ladies and gentlemen, is where I can see why he won a
landslide victory. His policies play a part, absolutely. But I think the single
most important thing of why people have identified with him, and ESPECIALLY
young people, is that he is known for his honestly and integrity.
He does not vote for anything that he doesn't believe in. He is
known for voting against and marching against his OWN party.
I believe that the government does not have my best interests at heart.
How can they, when they continue to destroy our environment for profit, when in
fact it's my fucking life source and they can't do that?! It's not some future
generations that we'll never know that are going to be affected, it's got to
the point where it's ME. And you!
And it's not just the environment. I
can't list all the many many events and laws that make me feel that the
Earth is run by callous, calculating people. Why on earth should I have loyalty
to the state? I don't want to help populate the U.K and develop little children
being educated so they can 'compete in the global job market'. I can't say this
strongly enough, but feck that.
Whereas, this Corbyn fellow (he's definitely not perfect) is
the first glimmer of hope I've had in politics - ever.
I say all this, and he may never have a shot at Prime Minister or a
look-in at Labour policies. But still, it's the IDEA of a Corbyn that I love. I'm not getting my hopes up for a massive shake around, but I love the fact that he in the mix somewhere, fucking shit up :)
I'm so happy that people have shared his ideologies enough to vote him in power
in one of our main parties.
Here's to many more!
Jesska xxxx
P.S. I may also be extremely bias as he looks a bit like one of my uncles/ like I'd imagine Lemony Snicket to look like.
