While it is deeply sad that we will not see Jeremy Corbyn on the steps at Downing Street, this short-term pain will surely prove to be a massive medium term gain for the resurgent politics of social democracy in Britain.
The Tories went to the nation with Theresa May as leader because no-one else in the Tory party wanted it. No other Tory was dumb enough to want the poison chalice of leadership during the Brexit negotiations and the chaos that will follow. The Labour movement and Jeremy Corbyn are well served by being out of it too.
The UK is teetering on the brink of a financial calamity that will make 2008 look like a warm up. The economy is propped up by record levels of unsecured private debt, consumer spending and an overheated property market that is long overdue for a massive correction.
Brexit will trigger a perfect storm of economic calamity. Can you imagine the damage it would do to the medium term viability of left-wing politics if a fragile Labour Government were to drink deeply of the twin toxins of Brexit and our swaying piles of debt?
No, far better to let the Tories limp into power under the banner of ‘strength and stability’ and reap that bitter harvest themselves.
Priced into the next election will be the people’s verdict on Brexit and whether it matched the promises of the brochure. Do we really want Labour to cop for that? The Brexit dreams are about to turn into a nightmare of unimagined consequences and reality checks. Let that rest with the Tories – they have earned it.
This election has proved that genuine socialist polices are popular at the ballot box; that politicians of principle are too and that the vacuous spin of the Blairite rump is a busted flush. It has proved that it IS possible to stand up to the united fury of the establishment media and beat them. How delightfully gratifying it was to see all the pundits at The Guardian scrambling for cover during the pre-election Labour surge.
It’s far better (in the long term) to let Jeremy Corbyn and his emboldened supporters consolidate their position within Labour, free of the enormous strains of Brexit and trying to hold together a fractious minority alliance. To the horror of the neoliberal careerists within the Labour movement (what a picture were the faces of Margaret Beckett, Yvette Cooper and Tom Watson – all aghast in victory!) the energy of Momentum has momentum. For now it is better this continues to build outside of government.
I believe that by staying out of office now, Labour will be in a position to deliver a stunning and genuinely meaningful victory at the next election – one from which the Tories may never recover.
There will be no doubt in anyone’s mind who was to blame for the baleful consequences of a mangled Brexit and the utter failure of austerity politics.
The principled and honest new politics of the Corbyn era doesn’t deserve to pay for the toxic mediocrity of the Cameron years. Let Theresa May or whatever glove puppet the Tories put forward enjoy that double helping of Kryptonite.
Of course I fear for the NHS. I fear for all of us under more years of Tory rule – but that can’t be helped now. This morning the Labour movement is in far better position than anyone dreamed possible. Corbyn’s position is unassailable for the moment and the Blairite faction are in disarray.
It sickens me to the pit of my stomach to see Theresa May forming a government – but I would be terrified for Corbyn and genuinely progressive politics if Labour was assembling a coalition government right now.
Amidst the euphoria of progress we must remember that Labour has lost this election – the influence of the right wing hate sheets is still a huge problem – but you know, just failing to get over the finish line might not prove to be all bad. Indeed, in the medium term it may well prove to be a shower of blessings in disguise.
”Brexit will trigger a perfect storm of economic calamity.”
Really? Say’s who, and on what basis?
”The Brexit dreams are about to turn into a nightmare of unimagined consequences and reality checks.”
Dear oh dear, you sound like the bloody Guardian! Tell me what you think that unemployment levels are in the Eurozone? That’s a rhetorical question of course since I doubt that you know. Well it is 9.5% in your economic nivarna
The EU isn’t an economic Nirvana – we never said it was. To be clear, an economic crash is coming anyway – they are a built in and inevitable function of a contemporary monetary system built on ‘money’ created as debt (bank credit).
But surely its not hard to see that a nation with record levels of debt in all categories cannot afford the turmoil of Brexit? Brexit will be the trigger for a crash and I am glad Corbyn won’t be in power to reap that harvest. Why do you think none of the Tories want to be PM right now? They know what’s coming believe me.
Whilst understanding your argument you are quite wrong about Brexit.
Brexit is required because the EU is a fundamentally flawed institution that has and is being used to further the cause of the Elite ( for want of a more accurate term ).
Do not be misled by the referendum campaign or even the result…that was all misinformation and lies.But the EU itself is toxic.
There is still a significant possibility that Brexit will not even happen as the hazards of the negotiations and the fear tactics used yet again may well give rise to a cobbled up remain situation.
My understanding is that Corbyn is aware of some of the bad things about the EU and is outside the narrow Brexit debate.
My worry is how much further damage will be done in the meantime by the Tories and those that pull their strings.
I would agree that there is much to be concerned about within the EU. The secret meetings with corporate lobbyists as they tried to sneak TTIP in with no scrutiny, the neoliberal delight at an expendable and mobile labour pool, the dominance of German capital and influence – BUT a great deal to be grateful for as well – not least a raft of legislation on the environment, human rights, worker rights and living standards.
Lets not forget that the EU has helped to keep the peace in Europe – this is not easily dismissed.
The Tories are desperate to get out of the EU so they assert what they regard as their rightful ownership and unhindered dominance over a feudal society in which they are lords of the manor.
The neoliberal project can be slowed down in the EU – once out of it the Tories will jump gleefully on the accelerator – Brexit is a DISASTER for social democracy.
Lets not forget that the EU has helped keep the war going in the Middle East – directly through some member states and indirectly through NATO.
I think western ‘interventions’ in the Middle East would have happened with or without the EU – the primary meddlers being the USA & the UK.