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AS A MONTH, August is a slow one for those of us working in politics and especially those who follow politics as the Dáil is in recess and councils don’t meet.
This gives ministers, TDs, senators and indeed councillors a chance to take a short break or more likely to chase up on outstanding representations and clear the administrative backlog.
For political watchers, these activities are pretty mundane and fail to fill column inches so instead we must chase half stories of a slightly more quirky nature or indeed look to politics elsewhere to fill the void.
In the UK, the Labour Party is in the process of choosing a new leader following its disastrous outing in May’s general election that saw Ed Milliband step down as leader and grow a beard.
The story of the leadership contest, however, has been the rise of rank outsider and perceived protest candidate, Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn is an old fashioned hard left Socialist.
First elected an MP in 1983, he was a card-carrying member of the militant movement and he has consistently rebelled against more centre leaning Labour leaders, particularly Tony Blair, who has intervened on number of occasions over the course of this election.
Many pollsters and more importantly the bookmakers are predicting that Corbyn will at the very least top the poll on first preference votes if not win the Leadership outright which has left many people asking why?
What is the attraction of a 66-year-old career backbencher whose politics are to the very left of the Labour Party and unlikely to transfer into votes in a general election?
Some people, particularly his supporters, have argued that Corbyn is reaching to the soul of the Labour Party, to its Socialist roots in the British labour movement.
Others have noted that Corbyn has easily outshone his other three rivals over the course of their leadership debates and on the hustings.
While the more fanciful have said that his rise is due to Tory supporters joining the Labour Party in an attempt to skew the election in favour of the candidate perceived to be the least likely to mount a serious challenge in a future General Election.
One reason for his success, I would argue, is that Corbyn, quite simply is different.
Over the course of the election campaign last May, I remarked, to the few that would listen, that in terms of style, delivery and image, the leaders of the three main parties in the UK were fairly interchangeable.
All three had the same standard meticulous images and campaigned in largely the same manner with the most riveting event of the campaign being the sight of Miliband struggling to eat a bacon sandwich.
Therefore it was no surprise that the media focused first on Nigel Farage and then on the SNP’s Nicola Sturgeon as they were saying different things, in a different manner, running different campaigns.
The rise of Tony Blair, driven by his spin doctor Alastair Campbell and close confidant Peter Mandelson, changed the way many people in the UK looked at their political leaders.
Blair’s image was carefully crafted and driven by the ever changing shape of media in the UK. This change of tact was perhaps responsible for the lampooning of William Hague for wearing a baseball cap, the mocking of Gordon Brown for his inability to smile and ultimately for the three main party leaders presenting themselves in an identikit manner last May.
So we come to Corbyn, the gruff anti-establishment candidate on the verge of a spectacular upset victory.
Is his popularity down to a search for the soul of the Labour Party or rather more simply a rebellion against the focus group driven generation of political leaders whose every word spoken, tie worn and choice of beverage has been analysed to death?
Whatever the reason for Corbyn’s success so far, it has breathed life into what is generally a listless month for politics watchers.
Perhaps it might serve as a lesson to our political leaders that being a bit more natural, a bit more to the point and a little less reliant on the perceived image of what a leader should be might restore some level of interest and maybe even trust in politics.
Neale Richmond is a Fine Gael councillor and member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
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He’s the real deal. A labour man who actually stands with the working class. If only we had him as the leader of the Irish Labour party for the centenary of Connollys execution.
He will guarantee Tory rule for a long time to come if he wins
He will garuntee labours death if he doesn’t get elected. Nobody votes for tory lite when you can just vote tory
Corbyn is too extreme left he will totally kill Labour’s electability.
I don’t think you are right Kevin, when labour have ran to the left they were unelectable.
Kevin – the success of Blair’s New Labour proved the exact opposite. Nobody wanted the hard left and were sick of the Tories so the ‘Tory lite’ Labour as you call it pulled the voters. The hard talk and populism is all well and good but a hard left Labour will never win back power.
Let’s wait and see guys the labour purge may have it going your tory lite way
Well, in this article Neale Richmond is very revealing about how he, and the rest of the self-serving mainstream parties view politics.
Yes, Neale, Corbyn certainly is different – but it’s not about all the ‘personal style’ and ‘presentation’ superficial guff that litters your article.
“… a lesson to our political leaders to be a bit more natural… a bit less reliant on the percieved image… ”
Well, yes Neale, a political representative with actual *substance* is what your inner human being is trying to say, eh?
As opposed to the ‘empty shell for hire’ self-serving ethos of your party & every other mainstream party.
Yes, Corbyn certainly does appear different. Different in that he actually does appear to take representing ordinary majority citizens’ interests seriously… you know, as the reason he is there.
As opposed to the salary, expenses, pension & chance to make it big by greasing up to the Golden Circle of big Money.
Yes, Corbyn is different Neale, but your superficiality analysis is the least of it. But thanks for confirming why anybody who wants real democratic representation should never vote for your party, or any of the other mainstream con artists going thru’ the motions for personal gain.
The Irish Labour Party is probably going to have to go through the same shake up. They have completely lost touch with their core values and are now more like FG. Come next election they will be decimated and have to go through a period of renewal to get back to traditional values if they hope to ever win back their disillusioned supporters. That will mean farewell to Burton and Kelly to name just two. I’m personally sicken with the way Labour has gone.
Its not just the Irish Labour Party which has lost its core values, it is also the Irish trade unions. They are all in it for the easy pension.
Part of Jeremy Corbyn’s popularity is down to his views on nuclear disarmament. If he wins the UK Labour nomination he can make life difficult for the government in Westminster over their plans to spend £100bn on new Trident nuclear submarines.. Scottish SNP also stand against the nuclear deal.
Decimated means only losing 1 in 10, they will lose far more than 10%
That’s just it For Connolly, Labour are supposed to be different, it”s the likes of Blair who changed them into Tory Mk 2. Same in Ireland with Michael O’Leary and Dick Spring. Labour lost its identity and is now indistinguishable from FG and FF.
Ironic watching shinners bash Blair, considering he agreed a peace deal with them. Suppose Blair did maintain British rule in NI and force the surrender of the Provos…
This man has been demonised by the daily mail brigade in Britain – I saw an interview with him the other week and he came across very well – it reminds of when Ken Livingston stood for mayor of London and people said it would be end of world if he got elected – it didn’t happen when he won
Daily Mail demonizing a far left leaning politician? Well I never…
Seriously could he be any worse than Boris Johnson
The Guardian are meant to have been just as vicious.
because he is against #austerity and #capitalism
basically a decent human
but the blueshirt won’t say that
Ireland is in desperate need of someone like Corbyn to come along and take over our dispicable excuse for a labour party and rid us of the self serving waste of space leadership of a once good party that has been taken over by power hungry gombeens.
It is so sad to see the irish labour party become what it has. And so unfortunate for the many grassroots labour activist who have dedicated much of their lives to the party to see its leadership betray them so badly.
Hopefully corbyns success will inspire fundamental chance in our own labour party. Even if restoring confidence in it will be a very long uphill battle
Why are Tony Blair and Gordon Brown so against him??
Because jeremy votes against them on many issues and jeremy knows Tony Blair is a war criminal
All war criminals together!
His mind is not controlled by Big Business.
Unlike Ireland… crippled by bankers’ debts which were never incurred by Irish people.
It is a serious problem how Society is now bent over for large corporate interests, at great cost to itself.
Ah yes. The UK needs a hard left leader just like the one that’s done such a great job recently in Greece.
The UK, fortunately for them, are the masters of their own financial affairs so the comparison doesn’t apply.
Seems like a decent man. There’s politicians emerging like this in increasing numbers at last,look at Bernie Saunders in the States. Best of wishes to both men.
Disillusionment with the political system is at a record high and hey presto, out of the blue comes a political figure that speaks to the people…If this guy was any danger to the status quo, he’d be dead already.
he speaks to some of the people. those who don’t want a hard left government won’t vote for him. those that do, will.
Out of the blue? He’s been a backbencher saying the same things longer than I’ve been alive. Good luck with the tinfoil hat.
Labour has been infiltrated by toryites and Corbyn is the only man to stand up for ordinary people. A great man who is winning despite the powerful throwing everything at him including the kitchen sink.
Neale,
Can you actually back your up comment that Corbyn was a card carrying member of militant with evidence? Or are you just slavishly repeating remarks that your fellow austeritista Pat Rabitte came out with?
Makes sense… You know who else is ‘different’ Donald Trump.
Ah yes, using two similar statements to reach a ridiculous conclusion. Here, let me try…..
Revenge is sweet
Revenge is a dish best served cold
Therefore, revenge is ice cream
Benito Mussolini breathed air, so does Enda Kenny.
Therefore Enda Kenny is the leader of a facist party.
You’re not very good at syllogisms, are you Drew?
Know who else wasn’t good at syllogisms?
Karl Marx
Drew, are you the ressurected Marx?
I didn’t reach any conclusion… I merely made the observation that these two individuals have both had their political ‘success’ credited to the fact that they are ‘different’
“Enda Kenny is the leader of a facist party.”
Do an image search of Fine Gael 1933
I agree with most of what you are saying but haven’t heard too many of the Traitor party’s grassroots speaking out against the leadership in the last 4 years. I suppose there’ll be plenty of time for that after the election.
@ The Hidden Revolt.
Labour party members demand immediate action on policy http://jrnl.ie/859517
I know thats old now and even then was too little too late. Many of those people have already left the party.
I am not a labour supporter and never have been but i do and did have a lot of respect for alot of their grassroots members who did a lot of good.
Anyone who continues to stick with them and not publicly challenge them is not a true supporter of the parties ideals in my opinion.
That was 2 years after all their elections had been exposed as lies. What did ever happen to “The Campaign for Labour Policies”? one meeting and they were gone. I don’t dispute that many long time Labour voters won’t be voting for them again but apart from this one meeting 2 years ago, the grassroots seem to have adopted the attitude, of “heads down and hope for the best” or they just don’t care.
Be afraid, be very afraid.
Look at his history and who he has supported & befriended from the Middle Easy before you start cheerleading for him.
What, is this guy going to implement Sharia too?
Anyways, three words – “argumentum in terrorem”.
Larry, you’re getting your news from the wrong sources. Hezbollah have only defended Lebanon from Israeli aggression, they never attacked first. Hamas is an obvious outgrowth of any peoples subjected to constant terrorism, murder and theft of their land. Turn off the TV, and think for yourself.
Corbyn is seen by many as the Micheal Foot of the twenty first century, we need realise, outside Ireland, politics is changing.
Five years ago, despite a dreadful government, Taoiseach and economy, our neighbours returned a minority administration, this year the Tories won but, with a slim and unassured majority.
Corbyn may just be what ordinary English people want and, in light of the brit Labour annihilation in Scotland, what the Labour party there need to return to any chance of government, twenty five years past my, then, boss, a Glaswegian, told me the Scots nationalists were just Scottish Tories, frankly akin to the ILP and SDLP.
As ordinary working people in England, especially northern England, are financially affected by Tory cuts, the economic need for equity in government might change votes and, with a left wing opposition, realign certain voters.
In 2020 a six per cent swing, or the return of some Scots seats, could mean, if opposition leader, could be their next Taoiseach, then again!!!
Change of tack, not tact. It’s a sailing term. I do journalism good me!
Corbyn’s success will be Labours failure. You already see the division and infighting begin yet again.
I do think its a but unfair that so many people joined the labour party simply to vote for him as sabotage. No honour in that.
As a conservative though, I can’t help but rub my hands with glee as many years of entertainment await me.
Tsipras, Corbyn, Trump and Paul Murphy. What have they all in common? Promises that can’t be delivered. Mislead people in other words.
In other words, you mean they’re all politicians.
Corbyn is a less bright version of Michael Foot. Trump is a wealthier recreation of Ronald Reagan. Not great precedents from the 1980s. Each had appeal to their dedicated supporters but did they leave the world a better place?
The Tories must be doing a dance of glee at the thoughts of him in charge of Labour. The new Michael Foot.
If by different you mean he appears to be actually human and not another Blair mini-me then you would be correct.
And why does every political commentator say that he’s incapable of winning a general election? I suspect he’s going to prove you all wrong.
I wouldn’t be worried about labour winning an election if they are actually socialist. Their only hope would be electing a centre right candidate and try be like the liberal democrats. It’s pity that labour and the Tories are so much like them that the poor old lib dems are getting left behind
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