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| Jeremy Corbyn's Labour conference speech: readers' verdict | Jeremy Corbyn's Labour conference speech: readers' verdict |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| ‘There were no revelations, shocks or surprises’ | ‘There were no revelations, shocks or surprises’ |
| I didn’t know who Jeremy Corbyn was until I attended an anti-austerity demonstration in London [which Corbyn addressed]. I am now a full member of the Labour party and have just watched Jeremy speak at the Labour conference as our leader. | I didn’t know who Jeremy Corbyn was until I attended an anti-austerity demonstration in London [which Corbyn addressed]. I am now a full member of the Labour party and have just watched Jeremy speak at the Labour conference as our leader. |
| I had the same thought watching his speech today as I had all those months ago. There were no revelations, shocks or surprises in his speech. What Corbyn said today and what he has said consistently is there is an alternative to the free market, neoliberal ideology of the Tories and New Labour before them. That we can have a fairer, more equal, kinder society. That we can be a force for good in the world. That we can engage everyone with a more open and democratic approach to politics. This is a movement and Jeremy Corbyn is just the face of it – but I could not have wished for a more genuine, straight-talking, honest voice to speak for those of us who have gone unheard for so long. | I had the same thought watching his speech today as I had all those months ago. There were no revelations, shocks or surprises in his speech. What Corbyn said today and what he has said consistently is there is an alternative to the free market, neoliberal ideology of the Tories and New Labour before them. That we can have a fairer, more equal, kinder society. That we can be a force for good in the world. That we can engage everyone with a more open and democratic approach to politics. This is a movement and Jeremy Corbyn is just the face of it – but I could not have wished for a more genuine, straight-talking, honest voice to speak for those of us who have gone unheard for so long. |
| Chris Steward, 32, client relationship manager from Essex | |
| ‘He has grown into the leadership role very quickly’ | ‘He has grown into the leadership role very quickly’ |
| I loved it. Given the way the press ridicules him, laughing off their attacks was his best and perhaps only defence. He pledged on issues Miliband’s Labour was too timid to commit to, challenged the government’s austerity narrative head on, reminded us what Keir Hardie founded the party for, and even mentioned the environment, which had slipped off Labour’s radar before the election. He has grown into the leadership role very quickly. He’s always had authenticity on his side but there was a change in him today: a new confidence. Is he up to the job? Absolutely. | I loved it. Given the way the press ridicules him, laughing off their attacks was his best and perhaps only defence. He pledged on issues Miliband’s Labour was too timid to commit to, challenged the government’s austerity narrative head on, reminded us what Keir Hardie founded the party for, and even mentioned the environment, which had slipped off Labour’s radar before the election. He has grown into the leadership role very quickly. He’s always had authenticity on his side but there was a change in him today: a new confidence. Is he up to the job? Absolutely. |
| Rebecca Fairholm, 46, publisher from Cheltenham | Rebecca Fairholm, 46, publisher from Cheltenham |
| ‘Corbyn made it clear what he intends to change’ | ‘Corbyn made it clear what he intends to change’ |
| A breath of fresh air. Corbyn made it clear what he intends to change: things that will benefit ordinary people. He will fight austerity – for the poor and disabled – and he will stop the cuts to people who need support most. His education policy will bring education back into larger society, where it belongs – schools should be accountable. | A breath of fresh air. Corbyn made it clear what he intends to change: things that will benefit ordinary people. He will fight austerity – for the poor and disabled – and he will stop the cuts to people who need support most. His education policy will bring education back into larger society, where it belongs – schools should be accountable. |
| He showed his strength of feeling for human rights when he spoke about what is happening in Saudi Arabia and asked Cameron to have the courage to stand up. He spoke of the people on the move and asked us to reach out the hand of humanity and friendship to them. | He showed his strength of feeling for human rights when he spoke about what is happening in Saudi Arabia and asked Cameron to have the courage to stand up. He spoke of the people on the move and asked us to reach out the hand of humanity and friendship to them. |
| And cut out cyberbullying – no rudeness from me! | And cut out cyberbullying – no rudeness from me! |
| Bernadette Moylan, 55, further education lecturer and foster carer from Solihull | Bernadette Moylan, 55, further education lecturer and foster carer from Solihull |
| ‘Socialism at its best – and it’s a welcome change from the New Labour’ | ‘Socialism at its best – and it’s a welcome change from the New Labour’ |
| Loved it. As a family we’re badly affected by tax credit cuts and the volatile private rental market, so it’s important to us that Labour understand that. Lovely to hear more about activism, human rights and social justice – socialism at its best, and it’s a welcome change from the New Labour ‘Tory appeasement’ way of doing things. But I look forward to hearing more about social care soon. | Loved it. As a family we’re badly affected by tax credit cuts and the volatile private rental market, so it’s important to us that Labour understand that. Lovely to hear more about activism, human rights and social justice – socialism at its best, and it’s a welcome change from the New Labour ‘Tory appeasement’ way of doing things. But I look forward to hearing more about social care soon. |
| Patrician Neira, 31, care assistant from Tynemouth | Patrician Neira, 31, care assistant from Tynemouth |
| ‘He sometimes stumbled on words, but he speaks as an ordinary person’ | ‘He sometimes stumbled on words, but he speaks as an ordinary person’ |
| Jeremy is doing it differently. He sometimes stumbled on words, but he speaks as an ordinary person talking about things that really matter to him. It is not brilliant rhetoric but it is authentic and real. He cares for people and I trust him to do things he says he will do in a caring, humane way. He will do all he can to lead us to a better society. That is a wonderful thing to feel about a political leader. It is a new thing to feel. | Jeremy is doing it differently. He sometimes stumbled on words, but he speaks as an ordinary person talking about things that really matter to him. It is not brilliant rhetoric but it is authentic and real. He cares for people and I trust him to do things he says he will do in a caring, humane way. He will do all he can to lead us to a better society. That is a wonderful thing to feel about a political leader. It is a new thing to feel. |
| Clare Wigzell, 61, management coach in Leeds | Clare Wigzell, 61, management coach in Leeds |
| ‘It was light on specific policy but it’s early days’ | ‘It was light on specific policy but it’s early days’ |
| It was a well-balanced speech, focused on Labour’s strength: social justice. It was great to hear challenges to the Tories and Cameron directly on policies, promises, and the changes to Britain since 2010. It was fantastic to see him challenge the Tory security rhetoric surrounding Labour with examples of Tory actions. It was light on specific policy but it’s early days. I liked the focus on the changes Labour has seen over the summer and the intentions for a new politics, although I wonder how effective this will be given the media. His comment on Trident was thoughtful – it will be interesting to see how the party goes forward considering the potential for negative media attention on scrapping it. | It was a well-balanced speech, focused on Labour’s strength: social justice. It was great to hear challenges to the Tories and Cameron directly on policies, promises, and the changes to Britain since 2010. It was fantastic to see him challenge the Tory security rhetoric surrounding Labour with examples of Tory actions. It was light on specific policy but it’s early days. I liked the focus on the changes Labour has seen over the summer and the intentions for a new politics, although I wonder how effective this will be given the media. His comment on Trident was thoughtful – it will be interesting to see how the party goes forward considering the potential for negative media attention on scrapping it. |
| Jamie Green, 26, railway worker from Herefordshire | Jamie Green, 26, railway worker from Herefordshire |
| ‘He is visibly passionate about reforming our so-called democracy’ | ‘He is visibly passionate about reforming our so-called democracy’ |
| Jeremy Corbyn doesn’t simply fling this rhetoric about like Cameron does. I was particularly pleased to hear him talking about building council homes is primary to any large-scale solution to the housing crisis, facilitating peace talks around the globe and tackling the mental health crisis. He is visibly passionate about reforming our so-called democracy – it isn’t just about him; in fact the man is modest, and incredibly dignified. I believe Corbyn will endeavor to achieve everything he set out today. | Jeremy Corbyn doesn’t simply fling this rhetoric about like Cameron does. I was particularly pleased to hear him talking about building council homes is primary to any large-scale solution to the housing crisis, facilitating peace talks around the globe and tackling the mental health crisis. He is visibly passionate about reforming our so-called democracy – it isn’t just about him; in fact the man is modest, and incredibly dignified. I believe Corbyn will endeavor to achieve everything he set out today. |
| Carmen Wright, 25, masters student in London | Carmen Wright, 25, masters student in London |
| ‘Jeremy Corbyn started his speech as an enigma to many members’ | ‘Jeremy Corbyn started his speech as an enigma to many members’ |
| Jeremy Corbyn started his speech as an enigma to many members, confused about what his brand of socialism really was. He ended his speech having defined and demystified exactly what “straight-talking, honest politics” meant and how it can work for members, activists, young people and workers. His speech was articulate, describing how this is an amazing opportunity to create a kinder, bottom up and inclusive politics, and explaining how best to challenge the housing crisis, the crisis in the NHS and the failure of austerity. | Jeremy Corbyn started his speech as an enigma to many members, confused about what his brand of socialism really was. He ended his speech having defined and demystified exactly what “straight-talking, honest politics” meant and how it can work for members, activists, young people and workers. His speech was articulate, describing how this is an amazing opportunity to create a kinder, bottom up and inclusive politics, and explaining how best to challenge the housing crisis, the crisis in the NHS and the failure of austerity. |
| In all, this speech proved to me that he was the best person to offer an alternative to the Conservatives, and lead the Labour party. | In all, this speech proved to me that he was the best person to offer an alternative to the Conservatives, and lead the Labour party. |
| James Wand, 19, student from Nottingham | James Wand, 19, student from Nottingham |
| ‘He stumbled a few times but I found it quite endearing’ | ‘He stumbled a few times but I found it quite endearing’ |
| He made a very good first impression. He was appreciative but quite embarrassed by the applause. In the first part of the speech, it was clear he was a little nervous but he was well prepared and practiced. He stumbled a few times but I found it quite endearing. As he went on, he looked more and more confident and relaxed, and I found myself really hearing what he was saying. He put his case simply and clearly on some important issues. Highlights for me were the protection of the self-employed, housing, and the handling of conflicts in the Middle East. But what came across very powerfully was that he was setting out the fundamental values of the Labour party simply and clearly. I liked very much what he said about abuse and misogyny in politics. He did what a leader should do: he put forward a strong set of values and invited people to participate in applying them. By the end of the speech, he looked like a powerful leader. | He made a very good first impression. He was appreciative but quite embarrassed by the applause. In the first part of the speech, it was clear he was a little nervous but he was well prepared and practiced. He stumbled a few times but I found it quite endearing. As he went on, he looked more and more confident and relaxed, and I found myself really hearing what he was saying. He put his case simply and clearly on some important issues. Highlights for me were the protection of the self-employed, housing, and the handling of conflicts in the Middle East. But what came across very powerfully was that he was setting out the fundamental values of the Labour party simply and clearly. I liked very much what he said about abuse and misogyny in politics. He did what a leader should do: he put forward a strong set of values and invited people to participate in applying them. By the end of the speech, he looked like a powerful leader. |
| Ruth Moushabeck, 62, semi-retired and from Ely, Cambridgeshire | Ruth Moushabeck, 62, semi-retired and from Ely, Cambridgeshire |
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