The BBC and corporate media coalesce around an extremely narrow consensus of political thought, and ensure that anybody who steps outside that consensus is ridiculed and marginalised. That consensus has got narrower and narrower. I was delighted during the general election to be able to listen to Nicola Sturgeon during the leaders’ debate argue for anti-austerity policies and for the scrapping of Trident. I had not heard anyone on broadcast media argue for the scrapping of Trident for a decade – it is one of those views which though widely held the establishment gatekeepers do not view as respectable.
The media are working overtime to marginalise Jeremy Corbyn as a Labour leadership candidate on the grounds that he is left wing and therefore weird and unelectable. But they face the undeniable fact that, Scottish independence aside, there are very few political differences between Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon. On issues including austerity, nuclear weapons, welfare and Palestine both Sturgeon and Corbyn are really very similar. They have huge areas of agreement that stand equally outside the establishment consensus. Indeed Nicola is more radical than Jeremy, who wants to keep the United Kingdom.
The establishment’s great difficulty is this. Given that the SNP had just slaughtered the Labour Party – and the Tories and Lib Dems – by being a genuine left wing alternative, how can the media consensus continue to insist that the left are unelectable? The answer is of course that they claim Scotland is different. Yet precisely the same establishment consensus denies that Scotland has a separate political culture when it comes to the independence debate. So which is it? They cannot have it both ways.
If Scotland is an integral part of the UK, Jeremy Corbyn’s policies cannot be unelectable.
Nicola Sturgeon won the UK wide leaders debate in the whole of the United Kingdom, despite the disadvantage of representing a party not standing in 90% of it by population. She won not just because she is clever and genuine, but because people all across the UK liked the left wing policies she articulated.
A Daily Mirror opinion poll following a BBC televised Labour leadership candidates’ debate this week had Jeremy Corbyn as the clear winner, with twice the support of anyone else. The media ridicule level has picked up since. This policy of marginalisation works. I was saddened by readers’ comments under a Guardian report of that debate, in which Labour supporter after Labour supporter posted comment to the effect “I would like to vote for Jeremy Corbyn because he believes in the same things I do, but we need a more right wing leader to have a chance of winning.”
There are two answers to that. The first is no, you don’t need to be right wing to win. Look at the SNP. The second is what the bloody hell are you in politics for anyway? Do you just want your team to win like it was football? Is there any point at all in being elected just so you can carry out the same policies as your opponents? The problem is, of course, that for so many in the Labour Party, especially but not just the MPs, they want to win for personal career advantage not actually to promote particular policies.
The media message of the need to be right wing to be elected is based on reinforced by a mythologizing of Tony Blair and Michael Foot as the ultimate example of the Good and Bad leader. These figures are constantly used to reinforce the consensus. Let us examine their myths.
Tony Blair is mythologised as an electoral superstar, a celebrity politician who achieved unprecedented personal popularity with the public, and that he achieved this by adopting right wing policies. Let us examine the truth of this myth. First that public popularity. The best measure of public enthusiasm is the percentage of those entitled to vote, who cast their ballot for that party at the general election. This table may surprise you.
Percentage of Eligible Voters
1992 John Major 32.5%
1997 Tony Blair 30.8%
2001 Tony Blair 24.1%
2005 Tony Blair 21.6%
2010 David Cameron 23.5%
2015 David Cameron 24.4%
There was only any public enthusiasm for Blair in 97 – and to put that in perspective, it was less than the public enthusiasm for John Major in 1992.
More importantly, this public enthusiasm was not based on the policies now known as Blairite. The 1997 Labour Manifesto was not full of right wing policies and did not indicate what Blair was going to do.
The Labour Party manifesto of 1997 did not mention Academy schools, Private Finance Initiative, Tuition Fees, NHS privatisation, financial sector deregulation or any of the right wing policies Blair was to usher in. Labour actually presented quite a left wing image, and figures like Robin Cook and Clare Short were prominent in the campaign. There was certainly no mention of military invasions.
It was only once Labour were in power that Blair shaped his cabinet and his policies on an ineluctably right wing course and Mandelson started to become dominant. As people discovered that New Labour were “intensely relaxed about people getting filthy rich”, to quote Mandelson, their popular support plummeted. “The great communicator” Blair for 90% of his Prime Ministership was no more popular than David Cameron is now. 79% of the electorate did not vote for him by his third election
Michael Foot consistently led Margaret Thatcher in opinion polls – by a wide margin – until the Falklands War. He was defeated in a victory election by the most appalling and intensive wave of popular war jingoism and militarism, the nostalgia of a fast declining power for its imperial past, an emotional outburst of popular relief that Britain could still notch up a military victory over foreigners in its colonies. It was the most unedifying political climate imaginable. The tabloid demonization of Foot as the antithesis of the military and imperial theme was the first real exhibition of the power of Rupert Murdoch. Few serious commentators at the time doubted that Thatcher might have been defeated were it not for the Falklands War – which in part explains her lack of interest in a peaceful solution. Michael Foot’s position in the demonology ignores these facts.
The facts about Blair and about Foot are very different from the media mythology.
The stupid stunt by Tories of signing up to the Labour Party to vote for Corbyn to ridicule him, is exactly the kind of device the establishment consensus uses to marginalise those whose views they fear. Sturgeon is living proof left wing views are electable. The “left unelectable” meme will intensify. I expect Jeremy Corbyn’s biggest problem will be quiet exclusion. I wish him well.
Good vid RobG, I may be against the parliament system, but i’m glad her’s and others voices are speaking.
Republicofscotland
20 Jun, 2015 – 10:45 pm
The Postman delivers on Saturdays too?! I shall definitely be buying a chunk of Royal Mail shares at the next round of public offering.
Hah, I *saw* Pete Hook and the Light *playing* New Order.
Mary, please tell your ‘supporters’ to stop abusing other posters while hiding behind you. Otherwise, you know, it might look like the supreme defender of the Palestinians’ right to freedom and fairness here is actually both tolerating and tacitly encouraging vicious bullies. And that wouldn’t do, would it, now.
A cool report from the march:
WELL that was Fun. A good old fashioned A-B march. Probably futile But the noise was magnificent. The rage of a veritable rainbow of people: All colours, sexualities, genders, abilities and lots (and Lots) of old skool communists come out of the woodwork, their myriad parties, selling old skool commie printed-paper newspapers. An earnest young man thrust an A4 rambling rant at us, tiny type face, too small for my old eyes. The SWP, still chanting the same three tired chants, and the old ones are so boring. “you say cutback, we say fight back, you say cutback, we say fight…” (you get the idea) “We save People, Not Banks” read the bright red dirigible tethered to the Fire Brigade Union’s Engine. They were cool.
So all in all a good start to the protest season. C+. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, one thing had changed from those A-B ‘kick out the tories’ demos of years gone by: the total absence of the labour leadership (except jeremy corbyn) “Tory Tory Tory”, “Out Out Out” but the problem of a Labour Party also committed to austerity economics doesn’t fit into a slogan. What do we want? “A better understanding of the complexity of the situation” said Kevin. And do you know what, gentle reader. He’s right.
Definitely the same person.
TC, you’re awfully black and white when you want to be. Rainbow smile, my dear.
Good night, all and you Ishmael xx
Glad the protest went well. Good on you – all who took part.
Yes, it seems to have done, from everything I hear. And this from the Guardian’s timeline:
At the Glasgow rally, Scottish trade union leaders have said they will ignore any new laws passed by the government which limit strikes or union funding.
Grahame Smith, general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, and Pat Rafferty, Scottish Secretary of Unite, told the hundreds of protesters that “bad laws” are there to be broken.
Good on them! Good to see that they’ve got some some backbone, eh?
RepublicofScotland at 10.45 pm? And then relax, with thanks, and have a nice cuppa? 🙂
@Ishmael
20 Jun, 2015 – 11:01 pm
Ishmael, and good to hear your voice here as well (we’ll beat the bastards, yet).
@Suhayl Saadi, I see my reply to your attempt to play the race card victim at 10.49 has been old guarded ! 😀
Lord Janner made secret visits to the Lords AFTER being declared unfit for police questions over child abuse allegations. The visits were in May and June of 2014, after he had been declared unfit for police questions in April. This case is looking curiouser and curiouser.
CPS refuses to advise police on rape case against Leon Brittan: Met sent file to prosecutors — before peer’s death — on claim of raping female student. Have to go to Exaro News for details on Leon Brittan. Daily Mail doesn’t seem to be reporting on him. For partisan reasons?
Thanks for the Corbyn links Mary.
Milk and water Habba – understand milk curdles while water evaporates leaving you with nothing.
While you ponder my good friend here is an example of nothing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=26&v=pucWT_YKJgA
Wikileaks releases details of TTP “ANNEX ON TRANSPARENCY AND PROCEDURAL FAIRNESS FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS AND MEDICAL DEVICES”
https://www.wikileaks.org/tpp/healthcare/
Why should we care? you ask. Because TTP is the Pacific version of TTIP, and this annex is concerned, inter alia, with
destroyingintroducing the benefits of unrestricted global competition to New Zealand’s public health system. And there’s an obvious parallel intent there. Despite all the airy and unenforceable denials by our politicians, the US wants to shaft Europe too.Thanks RobG, but it doesn’t feel all that pleasant lately, aside from for perhaps myself, who is feeling like I should be brutally honest.
Having met one of the ‘higher ups’ in the Green party recently. It reminded me even people who regard themselves and dissidents in the system are just cunts. I always am treated like a cunts by them. And I’m sick and fucking tired of it. Endorsing and taking part as they do, knowing but without disclosure, of the un-democracy that it embodys.
Then implying I’m an idealist, or in need of some kind of understanding. Twats.
Nothing has changed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxbIU0X-lCI
Macky give it a rest, cabaret sarcasm and innuendo are not the same as what you make it and why should a little beelzebub not be doused with some putrid smelling sulfurous devil?
Thanks to all those who marched you made a point for at least three times that many people.
Ishmael, thats party politics to you and you will find that real elected cllrs are quiet remote from the party activities at conference, were a roughly 9% of the membership decides on the policy development, the proposals and amendments, always been like that. many times the Green2000 movement, eager to get their motions through, delivered solutions via proxy votes, carrying six hundred in a hand bag….hahalol, this brings back memories….
night all
@Villager “Deconstructing the Lyrics of Bob Dylan in the Light of the Gaza Crisis
By Adeyinka Makinde”
Robert Zimmerman after stealing a real poets name Sold out.
On the other hand Dylan Thomas did not.
nevermind 21 Jun, 2015 – 12:21 am
Maybe, but I think my conception of democracy goes a bit further than how ‘it’s’ not represented in parliament.
I think there is lot more than that which needs exposing for it to be any notion of democracy. Unless you think it’s just about someones opinion I guess. But even then, it’s not like they know about the money system is it.
The Polemicist – The house we live in
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y25psGJ2hBs
Ishmael, I enjoyed the Del Amitri track.
I linked to the interview with Caroline Lucas because I thought it was one of the best interviews that Chunky Mark posted today, and not necessarily because I endorse the Green Party (but of course I do!).
We live in a crazy world…
John Cooper Clarke – Beasley Street
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euD0o0x-jAo
There are many different functions possible for a grope of people to support or effect. I’m trying to be selective about ones I may take part in or resit, though I don’t know about endorsing for others, of course.
or resist*
“And they would have believed anything, on one condition, namely that they where told to by their betters”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MttH6NEcELs
Why do a feel like i’m on a blog where nobody can think far past….slavery. Control of a few…And feel no doubt themselves progressive doing so..
The YouTube link posted by Mary @10.28 is from June 2014, and not from yesterday’s march- as Corbyn’s reference to the recent death of Gerry Conlon (and the sunny weather in which he delivered his speech!)verifies.
There may be a downside for Jeremy Corbyn after this, unfortunately, as Russell Brand and Martin McGuinness were also among the keynote speakers at the London gathering he addressed. The other contenders for the Labour leadership are likely to ignore Corbyn’s actual message and instead just label him ‘extremist/loony left/in the pocket of the unions’ as a result.
Sorry about that Old Mark. It came up when I googled ‘Jeremy Corbyn march today video’. When I use this tablet, I can only see the video and none of the details like no. of views, comments. Probably because I refuse to have a Google account. The Sky interview was OK I hope.
Technicolour. You are wrong to speak of ‘supporters’. Don’t be ridiculous. I plough my own furrow here.
PS You have no need to worry about supporters Technicolour. I see that you had your own fond farewell from Villager last night. 🙂
Medialens editors
‘Government propaganda: The Sunday Times *still* going after Edward Snowden
Scotland Yard told: look into Snowden
Tom Harper, Richard Kerbaj and Tim Shipman
21 June 2015
SCOTLAND YARD has been urged to investigate Edward Snowden, the fugitive American whistleblower, after it emerged that the government believes secret material he stole from British and US intelligence agencies has fallen into the hands of Russia and China.
Liam Fox, the former defence secretary, has written to Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan police commissioner, asking his officers to examine the “great potential damage to the national security of the United Kingdom” caused by the former analyst, who used to work for America’s CIA and National Security Agency (NSA).
Ken Macdonald, a former director of public prosecutions, also said that leaking the material, which contains details of sensitive intelligence techniques and information that could allow British and American spies to be identified, could trigger prosecutions for “any number of offences” under anti-terrorism laws.
Last week, the Sunday Times revealed that Downing Street now believes Moscow and Beijing have gained access…
[The rest is hidden behind a paywall]’
~~~~
The link http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Defence/article1571812.ece
Same scribblers and same resident editor presumably.
What on earth does Villager saying a ‘fond farewell’ to do with it? It does not excuse the fact that you are neither objecting to, or discouraging, abuse thrown at other posters using you as a reason/excuse. If you wanted to ‘plough your own furrow’ then you would be writing your own blog. In the meantime this is a group of people.