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Jeremy Corbyn Says U.K. Labour Party Is Ready to Govern Jeremy Corbyn Says U.K. Labour Party Is Ready to Govern
(about 11 hours later)
BRIGHTON, England — Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party, told supporters on Wednesday that their brand of left-wing politics had brought them to “the threshold of power,” as he ended an annual conference that consolidated his grip over the party and marked another stage in his journey from fringe politician to potential prime minister.BRIGHTON, England — Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party, told supporters on Wednesday that their brand of left-wing politics had brought them to “the threshold of power,” as he ended an annual conference that consolidated his grip over the party and marked another stage in his journey from fringe politician to potential prime minister.
In a speech of around 80 minutes, Mr. Corbyn mocked his detractors, including Prime Minister Theresa May, and criticized President Trump, winning frequent applause from party members who have been buoyed by Labour’s performance in elections in June, which exceeded most expectations and deprived Mrs. May and her Conservative Party of a parliamentary majority.In a speech of around 80 minutes, Mr. Corbyn mocked his detractors, including Prime Minister Theresa May, and criticized President Trump, winning frequent applause from party members who have been buoyed by Labour’s performance in elections in June, which exceeded most expectations and deprived Mrs. May and her Conservative Party of a parliamentary majority.
The four-day meeting, in the seaside city of Brighton, underscored Labour’s shift to the left, focused in large part around Mr. Corbyn, who was once seen by many in his party as an electoral liability.The four-day meeting, in the seaside city of Brighton, underscored Labour’s shift to the left, focused in large part around Mr. Corbyn, who was once seen by many in his party as an electoral liability.
In some respects a British version of Bernie Sanders, Mr. Corbyn, 68, has championed an agenda that includes nationalizing utilities, abolishing university tuition fees and increasing taxes for the wealthy and for corporations.In some respects a British version of Bernie Sanders, Mr. Corbyn, 68, has championed an agenda that includes nationalizing utilities, abolishing university tuition fees and increasing taxes for the wealthy and for corporations.
Mrs. May built her election campaign around the assumption that, with his left-wing platform, Mr. Corbyn was unelectable, but many voters saw Mr. Corbyn as personable and authentic, compared with wooden performances from the prime minister. A member of Parliament since 1983, he spent years as a backbencher before winning a once-improbable bid for leadership of the party after Labour lost a general election in 2015.Mrs. May built her election campaign around the assumption that, with his left-wing platform, Mr. Corbyn was unelectable, but many voters saw Mr. Corbyn as personable and authentic, compared with wooden performances from the prime minister. A member of Parliament since 1983, he spent years as a backbencher before winning a once-improbable bid for leadership of the party after Labour lost a general election in 2015.
On Wednesday, Mr. Corbyn mocked Mrs. May’s campaign claims that she provided “strong and stable” leadership and that voting for Labour would usher in a “coalition of chaos.”On Wednesday, Mr. Corbyn mocked Mrs. May’s campaign claims that she provided “strong and stable” leadership and that voting for Labour would usher in a “coalition of chaos.”
“They’re certainly not strong and they’re definitely not stable,” he said, adding that the government was “hanging on by their fingertips,” and suggesting that the political center of gravity had shifted to the left as “a new consensus is emerging from the great economic crash and the years of austerity.”“They’re certainly not strong and they’re definitely not stable,” he said, adding that the government was “hanging on by their fingertips,” and suggesting that the political center of gravity had shifted to the left as “a new consensus is emerging from the great economic crash and the years of austerity.”
His party, which was led until 2007 by the more centrist former Prime Minister Tony Blair, has certainly moved politically, said Mark Wickham-Jones, a professor of political science at the University of Bristol.His party, which was led until 2007 by the more centrist former Prime Minister Tony Blair, has certainly moved politically, said Mark Wickham-Jones, a professor of political science at the University of Bristol.
“Labour is now a left-wing party, with a left-wing membership, with support from the trade unions and an institutional structure that is shifting to the left,” he said, predicting that left-wingers would probably control Labour for the next decade and a half.“Labour is now a left-wing party, with a left-wing membership, with support from the trade unions and an institutional structure that is shifting to the left,” he said, predicting that left-wingers would probably control Labour for the next decade and a half.
The speech on Wednesday outlined relatively little new policy. Mr. Corbyn promised to control housing rents and protect tenants from “forced gentrification and social cleansing,” invoking the deadly fire at Grenfell Tower in London as a symbol of a broken system.The speech on Wednesday outlined relatively little new policy. Mr. Corbyn promised to control housing rents and protect tenants from “forced gentrification and social cleansing,” invoking the deadly fire at Grenfell Tower in London as a symbol of a broken system.
He said he accepted voters’ decision to quit the European Union, but added that the bloc’s three million citizens in Britain should be allowed to stay and that he wanted long-term “unimpeded access” to its single market — words that will please those who want Britain to keep close economic ties to the Continent.He said he accepted voters’ decision to quit the European Union, but added that the bloc’s three million citizens in Britain should be allowed to stay and that he wanted long-term “unimpeded access” to its single market — words that will please those who want Britain to keep close economic ties to the Continent.
The Labour leader described Mr. Trump’s disdain for the Paris climate change accord as “alarming,” and his recent speech at the United Nations as “disturbing,” and called on Mrs. May to stand up to American threats to impose hefty tariffs on Bombardier aircraft, parts of which are produced in Northern Ireland.The Labour leader described Mr. Trump’s disdain for the Paris climate change accord as “alarming,” and his recent speech at the United Nations as “disturbing,” and called on Mrs. May to stand up to American threats to impose hefty tariffs on Bombardier aircraft, parts of which are produced in Northern Ireland.
Mrs. May’s grip on her job looks fragile after her election setback, and her cabinet is embroiled in a fierce internal battle over Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union. So, although Labour failed by some margin to win in June, it scents power, internal critics have retreated and Mr. Corbyn is getting plenty of credit.Mrs. May’s grip on her job looks fragile after her election setback, and her cabinet is embroiled in a fierce internal battle over Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union. So, although Labour failed by some margin to win in June, it scents power, internal critics have retreated and Mr. Corbyn is getting plenty of credit.
Outside the main hall at the conference, party members bought T-shirts and mugs emblazoned with Mr. Corbyn’s famously-bearded image, while the party’s politicians lavished praise on their leader from the podium.Outside the main hall at the conference, party members bought T-shirts and mugs emblazoned with Mr. Corbyn’s famously-bearded image, while the party’s politicians lavished praise on their leader from the podium.
In one speech on Monday, the party’s foreign affairs spokeswoman, Emily Thornberry, described Mr. Corbyn’s leadership as both “brilliant” and “inspirational,” She has long been a loyal Corbyn supporter, however, unlike Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, who last year supported Mr. Corbyn’s opponents in a leadership challenge.In one speech on Monday, the party’s foreign affairs spokeswoman, Emily Thornberry, described Mr. Corbyn’s leadership as both “brilliant” and “inspirational,” She has long been a loyal Corbyn supporter, however, unlike Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, who last year supported Mr. Corbyn’s opponents in a leadership challenge.
This year, Mr. Khan described Mr. Corbyn as the “king of Glastonbury,” a reference to the music festival where this year young fans chanted the name of the Labour leader. (They did at meetings in Brighton, too.)This year, Mr. Khan described Mr. Corbyn as the “king of Glastonbury,” a reference to the music festival where this year young fans chanted the name of the Labour leader. (They did at meetings in Brighton, too.)
Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, has made no secret of his differences with Mr. Corbyn. But his praise of the party leader prompted one journalist to compare Mr. Watson’s speech to “those nervous interviews captured soldiers give on enemy state TV.”Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, has made no secret of his differences with Mr. Corbyn. But his praise of the party leader prompted one journalist to compare Mr. Watson’s speech to “those nervous interviews captured soldiers give on enemy state TV.”
“It is like a cult of personality, with T-shirts of Jeremy Corbyn, and every speaker obliged to say what a glorious leader he is,” said Denis MacShane, a former Europe minister under Mr. Blair. Mr. MacShane likened some speeches in Brighton to those at Soviet party congresses under Stalin, and added: “I think it is going slightly to his head.”“It is like a cult of personality, with T-shirts of Jeremy Corbyn, and every speaker obliged to say what a glorious leader he is,” said Denis MacShane, a former Europe minister under Mr. Blair. Mr. MacShane likened some speeches in Brighton to those at Soviet party congresses under Stalin, and added: “I think it is going slightly to his head.”
For his part, Mr. Corbyn, a soft-spoken, vegetarian who makes his own jam, said that he often feels “deeply embarrassed,” by the adulation. “It’s not my wish, not my doing,” he told Sky News.For his part, Mr. Corbyn, a soft-spoken, vegetarian who makes his own jam, said that he often feels “deeply embarrassed,” by the adulation. “It’s not my wish, not my doing,” he told Sky News.
However he can only be pleased by the sense of optimism in Brighton, where the upbeat mood contrasted with Labour’s subdued 2016 conference in Liverpool, at which the most vibrant proceedings were at an alternative event, The World Transformed, staged by supporters of a grass-roots, pro-Corbyn group called Momentum.However he can only be pleased by the sense of optimism in Brighton, where the upbeat mood contrasted with Labour’s subdued 2016 conference in Liverpool, at which the most vibrant proceedings were at an alternative event, The World Transformed, staged by supporters of a grass-roots, pro-Corbyn group called Momentum.
This year, Momentum is more integrated into the party. It helped the leadership to shape the conference agenda and to avoid an internal party vote on Brexit — an issue that splits Labour, and one that Mr. Corbyn has so far successfully dodged.This year, Momentum is more integrated into the party. It helped the leadership to shape the conference agenda and to avoid an internal party vote on Brexit — an issue that splits Labour, and one that Mr. Corbyn has so far successfully dodged.
“Momentum has been more disciplined,” said Roland Singer-Kingsmith, a co-founder of The World Transformed. “Last year we were partly celebrating defending Jeremy Corbyn, and partly defending ourselves as we were seen as, at worst, entryist, and at best a competitor to the Labour Party.“Momentum has been more disciplined,” said Roland Singer-Kingsmith, a co-founder of The World Transformed. “Last year we were partly celebrating defending Jeremy Corbyn, and partly defending ourselves as we were seen as, at worst, entryist, and at best a competitor to the Labour Party.
“This year, we want to be seen as a dynamic and creative compliment to the Party,” he added.“This year, we want to be seen as a dynamic and creative compliment to the Party,” he added.
With many party members convinced that power is a real prospect, the campaigning focus of the left has broadened. At one event, John McDonnell, the party’s top spokesman on national finances, said that his team was making contingency plans in the event of a backlash — including a run on the pound — against a left-wing Labour government. That provoked some negative headlines, but it underscored the fact that Labour is thinking about power. With many party members convinced that power is a real prospect, the campaigning focus of the left has broadened. At one event, John McDonnell, the party’s spokesman on national finances, said that his team was making contingency plans in the event of a backlash — including a run on the pound — against a left-wing government. That provoked some negative headlines, but it underscored the fact that Labour is thinking about power.
The next general election is not due until 2022, but it could happen earlier, and the government could well struggle on until then. But businesses are taking Labour more seriously, and the hall where firms pay a fee to exhibit included several companies that were not in Liverpool in 2016, such as Google and BP — whose stand Mr. Corbyn visited.The next general election is not due until 2022, but it could happen earlier, and the government could well struggle on until then. But businesses are taking Labour more seriously, and the hall where firms pay a fee to exhibit included several companies that were not in Liverpool in 2016, such as Google and BP — whose stand Mr. Corbyn visited.
Though one of his main appeals in June was his reputation for authenticity, the scent of power also seems to have changed Mr. Corbyn, whose media appearances have become smoother and a little more evasive. Mr. Corbyn is not known as a great orator, but his speech on Wednesday was better drafted and more smoothly delivered than last year’s.Though one of his main appeals in June was his reputation for authenticity, the scent of power also seems to have changed Mr. Corbyn, whose media appearances have become smoother and a little more evasive. Mr. Corbyn is not known as a great orator, but his speech on Wednesday was better drafted and more smoothly delivered than last year’s.
That does not seem to have dimmed his appeal to some younger supporters who are drawn to his left-wing agenda. Dominic Cooper, a 23-year-old party member from London, said that he saw Labour as “a party that says: ‘We are actually going to try to change things quite seriously and we will be up front about it, rather than ashamed of it.’”That does not seem to have dimmed his appeal to some younger supporters who are drawn to his left-wing agenda. Dominic Cooper, a 23-year-old party member from London, said that he saw Labour as “a party that says: ‘We are actually going to try to change things quite seriously and we will be up front about it, rather than ashamed of it.’”
As for Mr. Corbyn, Mr. Cooper said approvingly: “As a party member, it seems to me that he seems finally to have grasped how to do politics, rather than just saying what he thinks.”As for Mr. Corbyn, Mr. Cooper said approvingly: “As a party member, it seems to me that he seems finally to have grasped how to do politics, rather than just saying what he thinks.”