Jeremy Corbyn was welcomed back into the parliamentary chamber this week by a standing ovation from Labour MPs. This was unthinkable only seven weeks ago. The general election really has changed everything. From John O'Groats to Lands End, Labour's vote has increased. True, we fell somewhat short of an overall majority but we have forced the Tories into a coalition of chaos with the medieval DUP. It's May and her ilk who are now weak, unstable and opportunistic.
In Scotland, a good night will become a fantastic one next time round, with just several thousand more votes needed to gain key seats. The same is also true for England. Labour is now on a war footing. Jeremy Corbyn is set to roll on his magnificent general election campaign over the summer across the Tory marginal seats needed to gain the keys to Number Ten.
Our Prime Minister is discredited and our European partners must think we are a laughing stock. Macron has extended the hand of friendship by saying that if we change our minds, we will be welcomed with open arms, to stay within the European Union. The young people galvanised into campaigning and voting for Jeremy Corbyn want us to remain. They don't want their futures jeopardised by some deluded notion of the greatness of a bygone bloody imperial British era. They want the hope that our country will be better for them now and in their futures.
At last year's Labour Party Conference, a TSSA led composite motion demanding a People's Brexit was unanimously endorsed. It said that if the terms of Brexit weren't good enough then consideration should be given to staying put. The negative effects of the economic instability created by the uncertainty the referendum has created are already here. Inflation is rising fast as the value of the pound sinks and living standards are taking a hiding as wages fail to keep pace. A recruitment crisis for nurses in our NHS as just 46 EU nursing nationals this year wanted to bring their skills and expertise here. Companies are already bypassing Britain when considering future investment. And there is now a serious threat of relocation of jobs if we end up with trade tariffs when selling good and services to our European partners. A deep recession looks inevitable if we leave without a deal. A milder recession is on the cards even with a relatively decent deal. However, there doesn't appear to be a cats in hell chance of securing this as the Tories have ruled out staying in the single market or the customs union.
Self-harm ain't a great thing to watch. Our country is in urgent need of therapy to stop us from inflicting even deeper economic woes upon ourself. The reasons people voted to leave the EU are multifaceted. Yet, for many it was the sense of being abandoned by an economy that didn't work for them. Jeremy's Corbyn's politics of hope has changed all that. Working people inspired by Labour's new vision can see that things can be better. They understand that the Tories' rotten obsession with austerity and deregulation is to blame for an economy rigged against them. Time to stand up for what is right. For its many faults, the EU ideal of a united Europe is far better than countries competing against each other which sadly led to massive graveyards across our continent.
Of course, in the first instance we should seek to abide by the referendum result and look to negotiate a deal which protects our jobs and prosperity - A People's Brexit. However, if this is not possible, let's once again make the case for staying within the EU. Let's do what is best for our people rather than shy away from standing up for what is right cause it may not be popular. As Keynes wisely remarked, when the facts change, I change my mind. Let's not fall into the trap of Brexit at any cost. Let's have the courage to detoxify the rubbish said about free movement. It's good for us both socially and economically to have people from across the EU move here and for us to do likewise. Scrooge bosses taking advantage of cheaper workers from abroad only happens because successive British governments have deregulated our labour market to allow employers to make even greater profits at our expense. Let's not blame those who come here and play by the rules as they stand but instead aim our fury at those who rigged the economy against us.
Jeremy Corbyn's transformative programme will change this. From a £10 an hour minimum wage to greater investment in skills and education, significant extra expenditure - £250billion - in infrastructure and ensuring that government procurement leads to job creation in our country, will all make a positive contribution to building a new economy for the many. The economic problems hurting Britain's people stem from Thatcher's economic settlement which an incoming Labour government will rightly confine to the dustbin of history. A People's Brexit can now be about taking back control of the economy for the many which may well mean we reform our relationship with the EU, rather than just going for bust.