An invitation to define the 'UNELECTABLE' Corbyn.

whos-arsed (25)in #corbyn • 8 years ago

Having been a Labour Party member in my early youth and having jumped before Kinnock pushed me I was never sorry for leaving, it was no longer my party. If ever it were.

I moved to the "countryside' that was Croxteth in 1974. There were dark days on the industrial scene and the dockers, car workers and what was still then a strong manufacturing industry were in a battle to help make the unions look like the bad guys. They were 'commies' and 'reds' then but this was before my time...this was my Dad's time.

He left school in...I think '59 and was apprenticed as a compositor for Kley Brothers - Plate Makers and Rubber Stamp Manufacturers. I reckon "rubber stamp" is up there with phone boxes for many young people today but way back it was big business and essential in a port city such as ours. My Dad worked alongside men who, too old, or young for war, stood fire-watch on the premises they worked at...Cheapside, Liverpool. Next door to The Bridewell. The tales are from a bygone age of doffing ones cap to the boss, Robert Ledsom, whilst adressing him as "Mr Robert".

Frank served his apprenticeship and gave 30 good years to a firm that one day just didn't exist anymore. This after he'd worked his way to representing his colleagues as their FOC. One thing that stood out for me in all he achieved was that 'back in the day' firms like these and many others used people with a disability for what were, as classed by the company, menial jobs. These jobs included wood turning, moulding, galvanising and all those other shitty jobs one would associate with a 19th Century Typehouse.

So all these people...on buttons. Via the simplicity of the closed shop, these people were given parity of skilled pay, back-dated five years. For many it was more than the compulsory redundancy of £3.5k my Dad got for 30plus years service. Bitter? bet your fucking arse he was.

On the day the reciever chased these good men and women home, never to return...somebody actually came up to Frank and said "this is all your fault". This was a "skilled wood turner" that used to wear gloves to cover the scabs on his hands that had been splashed by hot lead. Whaddyagonnado? Well...what we did do, we fought back were solid with the comrades who were suffering the same fate as the whole print industry was decimeated. The the miners, the dockers, the steel workers...

By this time, the countryside, Croxteth was so bad even the globally notorious Toxteth dissassociated itself.

Now it didn't happen because we were a family with a rich tradition of marxism running through our genes, Alexei Sayle only lived in Nogsy but that Marx shit didn't shoot in The Tetley Oyster. Well not the stuff out the books...we were actually living it. What happened next was the path that was available, the path that was supportive, the path that was just, the path that was right. Boy did we suffer for such arrogance to think we mattered.

They called it "managed decline" (it's all there..if you care to look past the "loony left" and "Millo" headlines) for daring to stand up and fight..we got hung, drawn, quartered and left to rot. If you need confirmation look at the disgrace that is Hillsborough, good people left with a life blighted by those interested in only their careers. In a city like Liverpool politics, religion and usually beer always mix. It's always been healthy and I see a city today that has shed bigotry, still thinks footy is life and death..BUT...is ripe for a movement that speaks to them. Call it what you like...Corbyn's Labour is speaking to the same people who have always sought justice...for all.

What I see here today is similar in the fact that the lable "the Left" is again being demonised. This is a left that fights for justice, a safer workplace, human rights, free education for all, healthcare free at the point of use..for all, not just the few. ...and these are the bad guys?

I watched a recent "Hardtalk" (below) with Derek Hatton. The man spoke the same language then as now, it's my language. I don't care if he's paying a grand a week to get his hair done, what he says now, he said then...and it's right. If nothing else it's laid bare...democracy only works until you let them take it away from you. It's what they want to do now..our own...and we are the enemy within?

The people of Liverpool were served by a democratically elected Labour Council, A council that in my memory was the only one to carry through ALL it's promises on housing, jobs and education. We did it..so they stole the money from us. As a penalty against a political enemy they would and could never allow to be seen to win.

We folded. You don't want loads of schools and food, you don't want a roof over your head.."YOU WANT LOADSA MONEY" we didn't..we just wanted a bit...enough to live on. For all the years and all the bikes we got on, very few came out of it with much more than they started with. Many have LESS now...but they have got at an ace telly.

Since that time we have seen the very things that made communites torn apart by fear, grass-thy neighbour and "how come he's got a car when he's on the sick" It's no longer "what do you want" it's "what's he got that I haven't..and how did he get it". Is life any better? Is it shite.

So you see...I'm asking just what it is, on Jeremy Corbyn's ticket that makes him "unelectable"?

....I'm all ears.

Corbyn’s 10 pledges

Full employment and an economy that works for all: based around a £500bn public investment via the planned national investment bank.
A secure homes guarantee: building 1m new homes in five years, at least half of them council homes. Also rent controls and secure tenancies.
Security at work: includes stronger employment rights, an end to zero hours contracts and mandatory collective bargaining for companies with 250 or more employees.
Secure our NHS and social care: end health service privatisation and bring services into a “secure, publicly-provided NHS”.
A national education service: includes universal public childcare, the “progressive restoration” of free education, and quality apprenticeships.
Action to secure our environment: includes keeping to Paris climate agreement, and moving to a “low-carbon economy” and green industries, in part via national investment bank.
Put the public back into our economy and services: includes renationalising railways and bringing private bus, leisure and sports facilities back into local government control.
Cut income and wealth inequality: make a progressive tax system so highest earners are “fairly taxed”, shrink the gap between the highest and lowest paid.
Action to secure an equal society: includes action to combat violence against women, as well as discrimination based on race, sexuality or disability, and defend the Human Rights Act.
Peace and justice at the heart of foreign policy: aims to put conflict resolution and human rights “at the heart of foreign policy”

Until then I'd ask..take your eyes off the telly, listen to what people are saying, not what the BBC say they are saying, and perhaps read a couple of the often daily messages and updates from Jeremy Corbyn telling you what he's up to, who he's meeting, whats on the agenda. Or is it all really down to how much of a cunt Teresa May thinks she can make out of the opposition leader whilst he asks a question in the house from a member of the public?

Is it all down to MP's who believe they have some divine right to run the party from a caucus of 170 odd people who appear to have very little in common with their electorate and if justice be served will be de-selected post-haste, perhaps allowing the party to breath a bit, get it's confidence back and show being poor does not mean being politically wrong. Wanting to chage the system by implementing a system of socialist democracy? surely that is not left..it's not ceding to arm twisting "Trots" it's just what it is..and how it should be. It's fucking CORRECT.

We are not the Left - WE ARE THE PEOPLE

show me why we are unelectable - please

xx one love xx