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| Corbyn plays his greatest hits – and the crowd goes wild | |
| (13 days later) | |
| Taylor Swift’s Look What You made Me Do played through the PA system. A full-on revenge anthem in which the singer comprehensively trashes everyone who has ever slighted her. The video ended with the line: “Sorry, the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now. She’s dead.” The subtext couldn’t have been clearer. It wasn’t just old Taylor that had croaked. It was also New Labour. | Taylor Swift’s Look What You made Me Do played through the PA system. A full-on revenge anthem in which the singer comprehensively trashes everyone who has ever slighted her. The video ended with the line: “Sorry, the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now. She’s dead.” The subtext couldn’t have been clearer. It wasn’t just old Taylor that had croaked. It was also New Labour. |
| Minutes later, the Labour leader walked into the auditorium to the, by now obligatory, chorus of: “Oh, Jeremy Corbyn.”. The chant intensified when Corbyn reached the platform and continued for a good three minutes. At first he appeared to be mildly embarrassed, raising his eyebrows as if to say “seriously?”, but then just decided to go with it. He had all day and this was his moment. No one could begrudge him that. At the last two Labour conferences he had been pretty much fighting for his political life; now he had the party at his feet. | Minutes later, the Labour leader walked into the auditorium to the, by now obligatory, chorus of: “Oh, Jeremy Corbyn.”. The chant intensified when Corbyn reached the platform and continued for a good three minutes. At first he appeared to be mildly embarrassed, raising his eyebrows as if to say “seriously?”, but then just decided to go with it. He had all day and this was his moment. No one could begrudge him that. At the last two Labour conferences he had been pretty much fighting for his political life; now he had the party at his feet. |
| He began by talking about love and affection. When many politicians start getting touchy-feely they often sound a bit creepy, but Corbyn comes across as totally at ease with himself. He is a natural, even if his act has been significantly polished up. | He began by talking about love and affection. When many politicians start getting touchy-feely they often sound a bit creepy, but Corbyn comes across as totally at ease with himself. He is a natural, even if his act has been significantly polished up. |
| Only six months ago, his speeches used to turn into rambling monologues with sentences running into entire paragraphs. Now he has learned how to modulate his voice and exploit the natural pauses for impact and intimacy. He is a changed man. The bumbling outsider with whom many people first engaged is a thing of the past. These days he is a skilled operator who has learned to professionalise his charm, a serious contender. He knows it, and more importantly, his opponents know it too. | Only six months ago, his speeches used to turn into rambling monologues with sentences running into entire paragraphs. Now he has learned how to modulate his voice and exploit the natural pauses for impact and intimacy. He is a changed man. The bumbling outsider with whom many people first engaged is a thing of the past. These days he is a skilled operator who has learned to professionalise his charm, a serious contender. He knows it, and more importantly, his opponents know it too. |
| It was to them he next turned. He used all the Tories’ old election lines against them: strong and stable, the coalition of chaos, the magic money-tree; all had turned to dust in Theresa May’s hands. She was the one on life-support, presiding over a cabinet that could only agree on how much they disliked one another, propped up by a deal with the DUP that could come unstuck at any moment. If the prime minister fancied coming to another impetuous decision while going for another walk, then bring it on. Labour was the party of unity, the party fit to govern. It was all the more effective for being unarguable. | It was to them he next turned. He used all the Tories’ old election lines against them: strong and stable, the coalition of chaos, the magic money-tree; all had turned to dust in Theresa May’s hands. She was the one on life-support, presiding over a cabinet that could only agree on how much they disliked one another, propped up by a deal with the DUP that could come unstuck at any moment. If the prime minister fancied coming to another impetuous decision while going for another walk, then bring it on. Labour was the party of unity, the party fit to govern. It was all the more effective for being unarguable. |
| “Pull yourself together or move aside,” he said of the Conservatives’ failure to get to grips with the Brexit negotiations. Though not perhaps too quickly. Much as he tried to gloss over it, the Labour position on Brexit was still as vague as it had been earlier in the week. Far better to let the Tories screw things up and keep your hands clean. Sometimes in politics it’s no bad thing being Pontius Pilate. | “Pull yourself together or move aside,” he said of the Conservatives’ failure to get to grips with the Brexit negotiations. Though not perhaps too quickly. Much as he tried to gloss over it, the Labour position on Brexit was still as vague as it had been earlier in the week. Far better to let the Tories screw things up and keep your hands clean. Sometimes in politics it’s no bad thing being Pontius Pilate. |
| Not that anyone in the hall much minded the lack of clarity. This wasn’t a gig for trying out any unfamiliar new material; it was the time for a Glastonbury greatest hits playlist. He played the opening verse of The Evil Daily Mail and the crowd went wild. Corbyn now feels untouchable. The rightwing media had thrown their worst at him during the election campaign and he had increased his share of the vote. | Not that anyone in the hall much minded the lack of clarity. This wasn’t a gig for trying out any unfamiliar new material; it was the time for a Glastonbury greatest hits playlist. He played the opening verse of The Evil Daily Mail and the crowd went wild. Corbyn now feels untouchable. The rightwing media had thrown their worst at him during the election campaign and he had increased his share of the vote. |
| As he worked his way through his set list – nationalisation of the utilities, austerity, socialism for the 21st century, the new centre ground – Corbyn introduced some members of his backing band: Diane Abbott on bass, John McDonnell on lead guitar, Angela Rayner on keyboards, John Ashworth on drums. | As he worked his way through his set list – nationalisation of the utilities, austerity, socialism for the 21st century, the new centre ground – Corbyn introduced some members of his backing band: Diane Abbott on bass, John McDonnell on lead guitar, Angela Rayner on keyboards, John Ashworth on drums. |
| Several cabinet members began to get a bit twitchy that they weren’t going to get a shout-out from the front man. Especially when Barry Gardiner got a name-check. Not even Barry Gardiner knows who Barry Gardiner is. | Several cabinet members began to get a bit twitchy that they weren’t going to get a shout-out from the front man. Especially when Barry Gardiner got a name-check. Not even Barry Gardiner knows who Barry Gardiner is. |
| After 40 minutes or so, Corbyn had run through his best numbers. But he and his audience were enjoying themselves far too much to stop. So he started playing them all over again, even finding time to add a new verse to “industrial strategy” with a promise to make sure no one suffered from the advance of robotics. Another dagger into the operating system of the Maybot. | After 40 minutes or so, Corbyn had run through his best numbers. But he and his audience were enjoying themselves far too much to stop. So he started playing them all over again, even finding time to add a new verse to “industrial strategy” with a promise to make sure no one suffered from the advance of robotics. Another dagger into the operating system of the Maybot. |
| As the set extended well into its second hour, a few conference delegates began to get a bit restive. But no one was really in the mood to complain and by the time the final power chords had died away, Corbyn dived into the arms of his newly elected Labour MPs who were seated alongside him. | As the set extended well into its second hour, a few conference delegates began to get a bit restive. But no one was really in the mood to complain and by the time the final power chords had died away, Corbyn dived into the arms of his newly elected Labour MPs who were seated alongside him. |
| Only then could the real rapture begin. As Power to the People played through the sound system, Corbyn clapped along. Out of time with everyone else in the hall. It was his one mis-step. But give him another year and they will almost certainly be clapping out of time with him. That’s the power of love. | Only then could the real rapture begin. As Power to the People played through the sound system, Corbyn clapped along. Out of time with everyone else in the hall. It was his one mis-step. But give him another year and they will almost certainly be clapping out of time with him. That’s the power of love. |
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