I was completely and shamefully unaware of the man before the Labour leadership elections in 2016. I distinctly remember me and my brother who hilariously is actually the biggest Corbynite ever now, saying 'who is that old man?' We were completely unaware of the history of his social activism and work as a member of the Labour Party.
To my absolute delight, Corbyn has brought about a new wave of revolutionary socialist politics that revolve around tackling inequality in the several ways it manifests itself in the UK, whilst remaining passionate about fighting the big corporations and tax dodgers that disparage ordinary people from the talk of politics. He wishes to build a stronger and more diverse society in which voters voices are heard and taken into account. I completely support the man in his endeavours and am proud of his social stances. His voting history on Human Rights alone, speaks for itself.
But lets talk about the societal perceptions of the man and how they impact voters decisions when considering voting Labour. I've watched countless Question Time episodes in which a member of the audience has very readily questioned Corbyn's credibility and suggested he would not be a strong leader when discussing trade deals and such. This is the main issue voters feel that divides him from other politicians. He's overtly different and has no problem showing this. In this issue of him not being strong enough to 1) lead our country but 2) engage with other political leaders and discuss trade deals I will say, the man knows what he's talking about. He's had a long career in politics spanning 30+years and in that time he has consistently supported workers rights and understands the importance in negotiating the best trade deals for our country.
People think he is this lacklustre and quiet man who will succumb to the pressures of negotiation and come back with deals that will negatively affect this country. I'd just like to point you in the direction of his political history and the track record he holds when standing up for those who have been silenced. He has passion, conviction and courage by the bucket load in comparison to the incredibly moist wet cloth that is Theresa May who would rather read those dreaded words 'Strong and Stable' off of a script than fight for the rights of people in this country. Take those words out of the many speeches she makes and what is she actually saying? She lacks depth and substance.
And let's be clear on one thing, this piece is of course an attempt to persuade you to give the man a chance. However, it is important, actually vital to remember that you are electing a party and not a person. This isn't America and the system we are under states we vote for electable representatives from the areas in which we live to represent our constituencies needs in parliament. You aren't voting for Corbyn, you are voting for Labour. You may not trust the man, you may not like his outfits or agree with everything he says but this election is a clear choice between a divisive and social care cutting Conservative government or a fairer more progressive society under Labour. Vote Labour to get the Conservatives out, it's that simple.
Speaking of progressive societies, most points made against Corbyn are ones that attack his policies for being too liberal and progressive. And it's true that he is without a shadow of a doubt, liberal and very progressive in his views. But is this such a bad thing? I understand that naturally, people shy away from such stark change especially when it comes to politics. But remember that in the fight for equality, nothing would get done without strong acts of progression. A confident and progressive manifesto that was put forward by the Labour party last week is a bold decision but its one that has been taken from a very clever standpoint. Labour understand that if they are to get elected and run this country they are going to have to make some pretty big changes in terms of social care, workers rights and stabilising the national health service. If you are unhappy with the current political climate and want change, logic tells you to vote Labour.
Now, I do understand that Labour like any party has its issues. With members resigning last year due to the divisions within the party to some occasions of disorganisation such as the manifesto being leaked before the release date. You may see the problems within Labour and choose to vote elsewhere, which of course is your right, however you have to consider whether that vote will affect any change. As much as I love the Green Party policies and would love to vote for them, I understand that a vote for them is wasted in our current political system and therefore vote accordingly. And despite Tim Farrons peculiar 'We are all sinners' remarks, I do also find myself colliding with a lot of the Liberal Democrat policies. However with such a strong two- party inevitability within General Elections in this country, I understand that a vote for a smaller party can be considered wasteful and I want to have a part in kicking the Conservatives out of government.
Under every Conservative government within my lifetime, my mother, who has worked tirelessly in the NHS for 30 years comes home every night telling me how bad it is. How many cuts have been made and how many more people are at risk. From choosing not to upgrade ancient computer systems and allowing viruses to infect the entire health services computers, to cutting the NHS into a million pieces leaving innocent peoples lives at risk. There is no denying, the health service under the tories is a shambles.
Make decisions in this election based upon what you believe and what's right and not what the media will have you believe about Corbyn. There are so many dodgy media perceptions of the man. Make sure the facts you have at your disposal are correct and that the decision you make will be the right one to you. And please, do not underestimate the man, I believe he could really surprise us all.