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Jeremy Corbyn rejects spin in speech attacking 'sneering' media Jeremy Corbyn rejects spin in speech attacking 'sneering' media
(about 2 hours later)
Tony Blair waited until one of his last speeches as party leader to attack the media: for Jeremy Corbyn, that was 10 years too late.Tony Blair waited until one of his last speeches as party leader to attack the media: for Jeremy Corbyn, that was 10 years too late.
In a speech that underlined the key differences between Corbyn and his New Labour predecessor, it was the new leader’s approach to the media which was most marked difference. In a speech that underlined the key differences between Corbyn and his New Labour predecessor, it was the new leader’s approach to the media which marked the biggest shift.
Corbyn chose to open his first party conference speech as leader by poking fun at the far-fetched headlines he has faced in the past few weeks.Corbyn chose to open his first party conference speech as leader by poking fun at the far-fetched headlines he has faced in the past few weeks.
Related: Jeremy Corbyn hits back at the press: from asteroids to Maoist bicyclesRelated: Jeremy Corbyn hits back at the press: from asteroids to Maoist bicycles
Not for Corbyn the final haunting image of a “feral beast tearing people and reputations to bits”, but four of the more ludicrous scaremongering headlines that suggested that he “welcomed the prospect of an asteroid wiping out humanity” or that he was somehow culpable for the behaviour of an ancestor dead long before he was born.Not for Corbyn the final haunting image of a “feral beast tearing people and reputations to bits”, but four of the more ludicrous scaremongering headlines that suggested that he “welcomed the prospect of an asteroid wiping out humanity” or that he was somehow culpable for the behaviour of an ancestor dead long before he was born.
As jokes the opening comments weren’t particularly funny – his contempt was a bit too obvious for that - but as a way of painting the media as not only ridiculous but, in their worst excesses, wrong they were pretty effective.As jokes the opening comments weren’t particularly funny – his contempt was a bit too obvious for that - but as a way of painting the media as not only ridiculous but, in their worst excesses, wrong they were pretty effective.
Two more times he went on to underline his feelings for a “sneering” mainstream media out of touch with the “real” world.Two more times he went on to underline his feelings for a “sneering” mainstream media out of touch with the “real” world.
He compared the apocalyptic statements about his appointment to a sports writer suggesting that a football team that had suffered a “terrible summer” and still attracted 150,000 new supporters was about to collapse. “I don’t know how this club is going to get through this crisis,” he said. He compared the apocalyptic statements about his appointment to a sports writer suggesting that a football team was about to collapse after suffering a “terrible summer” and still attracting 150,000 new supporters. “I don’t know how this club is going to get through this crisis,” he said.
Staying “on message” with no internal disagreements was no longer a good thing. “The media commentariat simply don’t understand it. They report disagreements as splits, agreement as compromise, as concessions as capitulation. No sorry, commentariat, this is grown-up real politics where real people debate real issues.”Staying “on message” with no internal disagreements was no longer a good thing. “The media commentariat simply don’t understand it. They report disagreements as splits, agreement as compromise, as concessions as capitulation. No sorry, commentariat, this is grown-up real politics where real people debate real issues.”
The message to the media seemed clear: go ahead and do your worst because no one is listening to you any more. Tom Watson, deputy leader and instrumental in the campaign against phone hacking, is to “lead the charge” in using digital media. “That is the way of communication – it is not just through broadsheet newspapers or tabloids, it is social media that really is the point of communication for the future, we’ve got to get that.”The message to the media seemed clear: go ahead and do your worst because no one is listening to you any more. Tom Watson, deputy leader and instrumental in the campaign against phone hacking, is to “lead the charge” in using digital media. “That is the way of communication – it is not just through broadsheet newspapers or tabloids, it is social media that really is the point of communication for the future, we’ve got to get that.”
Corbyn didn’t have to mention them but the contrast with an administration largely responsible for making spin mean something other than a washing machine motion was stark.Corbyn didn’t have to mention them but the contrast with an administration largely responsible for making spin mean something other than a washing machine motion was stark.
Tony Blair came to power with Alastair Campbell, a former tabloid newspaper journalist, and Peter Mandelson, a former television current affairs producer, determined not to allow the media to savage him the way it had Neil Kinnock.Tony Blair came to power with Alastair Campbell, a former tabloid newspaper journalist, and Peter Mandelson, a former television current affairs producer, determined not to allow the media to savage him the way it had Neil Kinnock.
It seems fair to say that Corbyn will never become godfather to a Murdoch offspring or travel all the way to Mexico for a corporate love-in. Corbyn even used a line from a speech given by James Murdoch to the television industry when he criticised the idea that “profit comes first” for the BBC. He lauded the corporation as a “great institution under attack from the Tory government” obsessed with the “idea that profit comes first”.It seems fair to say that Corbyn will never become godfather to a Murdoch offspring or travel all the way to Mexico for a corporate love-in. Corbyn even used a line from a speech given by James Murdoch to the television industry when he criticised the idea that “profit comes first” for the BBC. He lauded the corporation as a “great institution under attack from the Tory government” obsessed with the “idea that profit comes first”.
Blair came to power with his spin doctors by his side. Corbyn took several days to find someone even to handle his press calls. Today’s speech suggests that delay was no accident. With a newspaper industry resurgent after the election and with the idea of improved self-regulation hardly talked about in polite circles, it may be a brave call. But with the sort of headlines he’s already attracted, what does Jeremy Corbyn have to lose?Blair came to power with his spin doctors by his side. Corbyn took several days to find someone even to handle his press calls. Today’s speech suggests that delay was no accident. With a newspaper industry resurgent after the election and with the idea of improved self-regulation hardly talked about in polite circles, it may be a brave call. But with the sort of headlines he’s already attracted, what does Jeremy Corbyn have to lose?