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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Jeremy Corbyn's campaign launch verdict: he was acting like a winner | Jeremy Corbyn's campaign launch verdict: he was acting like a winner |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Key points | Key points |
| Jeremy Corbyn celebrated the surge in Labour membership, announced plans to crack down on unequal pay and urged his political opponents to get behind him. | Jeremy Corbyn celebrated the surge in Labour membership, announced plans to crack down on unequal pay and urged his political opponents to get behind him. |
| Snap verdict | Snap verdict |
| Corbyn has rarely sounded more confident. Unlike many other MPs, he has little time or respect for Westminster journalists (in some cases, understandably) and some of his previous encounters with the press have been awkward, to put it mildly. But today he was relaxed and good-humoured and, above all, confident. He gave the impression that he believes he will win this leadership contest easily. And it is not hard to see why. | |
| Related: Corbyn holds out 'hand of friendship' to opponents, urging them to get behind the party - live | Related: Corbyn holds out 'hand of friendship' to opponents, urging them to get behind the party - live |
| His speech contained a defence of his record over the last 10 months, a broad statement about tackling injustice, and the modern equivalents of Beveridge’s five “giant evils” and a policy announcement about pay audits. Corbyn has had relatively little new to say on policy since he was elected leader (which is odd, because in the leadership contest last summer he produced a dozen or so quite substantial policy papers – will they get recycled?) and so in that sense the speech was refreshing. But it was still relatively threadbare. By comparison, Theresa May’s one proper leadership campaign speech, delivered last Monday, contained much more new thinking. | His speech contained a defence of his record over the last 10 months, a broad statement about tackling injustice, and the modern equivalents of Beveridge’s five “giant evils” and a policy announcement about pay audits. Corbyn has had relatively little new to say on policy since he was elected leader (which is odd, because in the leadership contest last summer he produced a dozen or so quite substantial policy papers – will they get recycled?) and so in that sense the speech was refreshing. But it was still relatively threadbare. By comparison, Theresa May’s one proper leadership campaign speech, delivered last Monday, contained much more new thinking. |
| More telling, though, was what Corbyn did not say. He did not mention Owen Smith, his opponent in the upcoming leadership election, in keeping with the traditional reluctance of incumbents to talk up the status of their challengers. But he also had nothing to say about the circumstances that have led to 75% of Labour MPs declaring that they have no confidence in him. | More telling, though, was what Corbyn did not say. He did not mention Owen Smith, his opponent in the upcoming leadership election, in keeping with the traditional reluctance of incumbents to talk up the status of their challengers. But he also had nothing to say about the circumstances that have led to 75% of Labour MPs declaring that they have no confidence in him. |
| Corbyn’s allies, such as John McDonnell, insist these MPs are opposing Corbyn because they cannot support his leftwing politics. The MPs themselves largely insist he has lost their support because of his incompetence. (See, for example, Lilian Greenwood’s recent speech - perhaps the most detailed and judicious account of Corbyn’s perceived failings from a member of the shadow cabinet.) But as for what Corbyn thinks, we don’t really know. He refused to address this issue in his speech, and was not much more forthcoming in the Q&A. To his critics this must have come over as the ultimate complacency. | Corbyn’s allies, such as John McDonnell, insist these MPs are opposing Corbyn because they cannot support his leftwing politics. The MPs themselves largely insist he has lost their support because of his incompetence. (See, for example, Lilian Greenwood’s recent speech - perhaps the most detailed and judicious account of Corbyn’s perceived failings from a member of the shadow cabinet.) But as for what Corbyn thinks, we don’t really know. He refused to address this issue in his speech, and was not much more forthcoming in the Q&A. To his critics this must have come over as the ultimate complacency. |
| But Corbyn just did not seem to care; he exuded self-confidence. He knows that his support among members remains high, and he does not seem to rate Smith as a threat. He was acting like a winner. | But Corbyn just did not seem to care; he exuded self-confidence. He knows that his support among members remains high, and he does not seem to rate Smith as a threat. He was acting like a winner. |
| Best line | Best line |
| [We are] laying the ground for a kinder, gentler politics … that respects those unable to work … that treats disabled people with dignity … | [We are] laying the ground for a kinder, gentler politics … that respects those unable to work … that treats disabled people with dignity … |