Why Is Corbyn Winning The Labour Leadership Election?

[Gromit]

//
The 66-year-old has attracted a growing fanbase of enthusiastic young people who have been turning his campaign events into what one attendee described as something “more like sell-out gigs than political meetings”.
One gathering, in Liverpool’s Adelphi hotel on Saturday night, saw hundreds of disappointed supporters turned away after the venue reached its 1,000 capacity.

There were similar scenes in Leicester and Coventry, with the warmth of his reception seeming to take even the candidate by surprise. In an entry on Facebook he wrote: “Hundreds and thousands of people packed into rooms and standing outside everywhere we go.
“Something quite extraordinary is happening. Thank you for being part of this great movement.” //

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/11779294/Jeremy-Corbyn-on-rock-star-tour-of-Britain-as-bandwagon-grows.html

I confess I am surprised that Corbyn is seemingly doing so well. Are people fed up with the 3 parties being so similar occupying the middle ground?

[youngmafbog]

I suspect that may well have something to do with it. In addition I think it may well be part of the 'celebrity' culture we have today due to social media. I wonder what the age range is of these 'groupies'

Mind you, a venue with 1000 capacity is hardly rock star size is it ?

[retrocop]

The power of the unions???

[bazwillrun]

1000 capacity...hahaha...big time crowd

when you look at the calibre of his competition its not hard is it...

[Bazile]

This is sort of like a Donald Trump situation .

Trump's views are quite popular with a section of the American electorate .
However , it's unlikely , he will receive the Republican nomination , let alone be President .

Corbyn is quite popular with a lot of labour supporters it would seem .
He could well end up being the labour leader .
However he is unlikely to win a general election .

If labour members elect him ( and they would be mad to ) or candidates of his leaning ,then the labour is destined to wander the wilderness for the next 40 years

[bazwillrun]

"If labour members elect him ( and they would be mad to ) or candidates of his leaning ,then the labour is destined to wander the wilderness for the next 40 years"

if we stay in the eussr, then labour as all the parties, will be irelevant well before 40 years, we will be ruled and dictated to from there, as they are already doing !...

[Svejk]

Seems to say what he feels to be right as opposed to politically expedient,(du jour).Whether you agree with his views or not, he's like a breath of fresh air amongst the usual liblabcon.

[fiction-factory]

I agree, svjek

[Svejk]

I believe he's anti-EU, Baz. Beginning to like him now, aren't you? ;o)

[fiction-factory]

Sorry, still can't spell your name

[steg]

I've only seen a couple clips of interviews of him, I had never heard of him before the other week and know very little about him, but the little I have seen of him he seems quite laid back and confident, compared to the rest of labour candidates I've seen imo he totally out shines them all by miles, I think I like the chap

[whiskeryron]

At last we appear to have a politician who could truly be a Socialist in the true sense of the word & could in fact be the saviour of the Labour Party instead of what has appeared to be mini Tories in their recent history. Let us at last get back to true Socialist values where working class people can be represented to counteract the Tory policies of the rich getting richer whilst the poor struggle with food banks & ever increasing debt which once there is very difficult to escape from.

[jim360]

It depends on whether he is winning because the Labour Party doesn't like itself very much, or whether there is something wider about the British view of politics that he's able to tap into. Time will tell, but if Corbyn is able to keep the Labour Party together without an SDP-type split as seen in the early 1980s, he could just be a serious threat come 2020. At the moment I doubt it, but as his campaign gathers momentum then it seems crazy to suggest that it won't outlast his election as leader and attract support across the country, at least for a time. He seems to be coming across as honest and, as svejk suggested, a breath of fresh air.

[youngmafbog]

So did Nigel, but despite 4m votes it got him nowhere.

[bazwillrun]

"I believe he's anti-EU, Baz. Beginning to like him now, aren't you? ;o)"

had heard that...either way, if he wins labour are as good as finished...and they for the most part know that too !

[Ric.ror]

Well I personally find it all a little depressing
Firstly it has taken over 40 years (I think that is how long he has been a member of the Labour Party) to realise his potential - then of course the fact that he had intended (at the age of 70) to stand down at the next election - not fight it as a leader!
I suspect that if he wins he will serve one or maybe two years as leader - enough time for the damage to be done though

[Ellipsis]

Maybe the secret plan is to get Corbyn in for the next four years, have him make a complete hash of opposition but fire up the "progressive" left-wing spirit, retire at 70 in 2019 after all, then put someone like Chuka Umunna or Dan Jarvis in for the final year, glorious in comparison to the previous four, and hope they sweep to victory in 2020.

[Ric.ror]

Thats what I am hoping Ellispe
My moneys on Dan Jarvis

[Khandro]

The Telegraph would love to help Corbyn get the post (the article is by the Political Editor) so they will talk him up as much as they can.
I think a weak opposition though, - which it certainly would be with him, would not be good for the country.

[jim360]

Difference between Farage and Corbyn is that Corbyn would be starting from 230-odd seats and about 28% of the vote from last election. Obviously he can lead the Labour party down and well as up in terms of seats and votes, but if he does manage to gather support then it's from a stronger position than Farage could ever enjoy.