This program explores the extraordinary gains in votes for the British Labour Party, led by Jeremy Corbyn, and the equally extraordinary and unexpected losses of the pro Brexit conservative party under Theresa May on June 8, 2017.
With brief clips from the BBC, Counterspin, and Naomi Klein on Democracy Now and a re-broadcast of a labor breakfast speech by Corbyn from a 2003 TUC Radio program, the following issues are raised:
What are the parallels between Bernie Sanders and Corbyn and the future of democratic socialism. How can a grassroots movement with youth involvement bring huge crowds and even electoral votes to candidates who were thought to be unelectable, often maligned or silenced in the media. What are the principles that ignite awareness and participation?
Many commentators say that Jeremy Corbyn has been remarkably consistent in his political demands over 30 years. Before entering politics, Corbyn, born in May 1949, worked as a representative for various trade unions.
He has been the Member of Parliament for Islington North since 1983. He advocates reversing austerity cuts to public services and welfare funding made in the UK since And he proposes re-nationalization of the privatized public utilities and railways. As long standing anti war activist, he supports a foreign policy of military non intervention and unilateral nuclear disarmament.
The 2003 speech was given in his capacity as national chair of the Stop the War Coalition. It was recorded by Jeffrey Blankfort at a labor breakfast on the San Francisco waterfront only days days after the Stop the War Coalition had brought over 1/2 million war resistors to Hyde Park in London – in an attempt to prevent the launching of the Bush and Blair led war against Iraq.
Every now and then – throughout 2017 – I’m rebroadcasting from the TUC Radio archives, celebrating 25 years of free programming. Thank you for keeping us on the air for a quarter century.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:59 — 19.9MB)
