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Jeremy Corbyn: clear alternative to Tory austerity needs to be presented Jeremy Corbyn: clear alternative to Tory austerity needs to be presented
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Another five years of austerity would leave Britain’s welfare state unrecognisable and the gap between rich and poor wider than ever, the Labour leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn has warned.Another five years of austerity would leave Britain’s welfare state unrecognisable and the gap between rich and poor wider than ever, the Labour leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn has warned.
The MP for Islington North, a key figure on the left of the party who is standing on an anti-austerity platform, says he entered the race to offer a different perspective to the other candidates. The MP for Islington North, a key figure on the left of the party who is standing on an anti-austerity platform, says he entered the race to offer a different perspective.
“The NHS will be largely parcelled up and privatised out, if not destroyed altogether, and the gap between the rich and the poor will be bigger than ever,” Corbyn told the Guardian’s Politics Weekly podcast, unless a clear alternative narrative to Tory austerity was voiced by Labour.“The NHS will be largely parcelled up and privatised out, if not destroyed altogether, and the gap between the rich and the poor will be bigger than ever,” Corbyn told the Guardian’s Politics Weekly podcast, unless a clear alternative narrative to Tory austerity was voiced by Labour.
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Corbyn will have to secure nominations from 35 fellow Labour MPs before Monday night to get on the ballot paper, something he and fellow candidate Mary Creagh may not manage. The pair currently have fewer than that number of nominations between them, with Corbyn on 14 and Creagh on eight.Corbyn will have to secure nominations from 35 fellow Labour MPs before Monday night to get on the ballot paper, something he and fellow candidate Mary Creagh may not manage. The pair currently have fewer than that number of nominations between them, with Corbyn on 14 and Creagh on eight.
The MP says he will still be pleased he was able to put forward a perspective that differs from that of the other leadership candidates, even if he doesn’t get on to the ballot paper. The MP said he will still be pleased he was able to put forward a perspective that differs from that of the other leadership candidates, even if he doesn’t get on to the ballot paper.
“[There were] a number of discussions among left MPs in parliament about what to do and eventually, a week ago, we said we’d try and put somebody’s hat in the ring to try and promote that [anti-austerity] debate,” says Corbyn.“[There were] a number of discussions among left MPs in parliament about what to do and eventually, a week ago, we said we’d try and put somebody’s hat in the ring to try and promote that [anti-austerity] debate,” says Corbyn.
“If we get [on to the ballot paper], great,” he adds. “We’ll see what happens, but as far as I’m concerned we’ve already – by the action we took a week ago – changed the terms of debate.”“If we get [on to the ballot paper], great,” he adds. “We’ll see what happens, but as far as I’m concerned we’ve already – by the action we took a week ago – changed the terms of debate.”
“There are a lot of people who actually profoundly disagree with me, and have disagreed with me for 30 years, who say ‘well, at least you’re saying something different’. They are kind of appreciative of that.”“There are a lot of people who actually profoundly disagree with me, and have disagreed with me for 30 years, who say ‘well, at least you’re saying something different’. They are kind of appreciative of that.”
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Labour’s leadership contest, the results of which will be announced on 12 September, was triggered after the resignation of Ed Miliband in the aftermath of the party’s defeat in the general election. Labour’s leadership contest, the result of which will be announced on 12 September, was triggered after the resignation of Ed Miliband in the aftermath of the party’s defeat in the general election.
Standing alongside Corbyn are four other candidates: Liz Kendall, MP for Leicester West and the shadow minister for care and older people; Andy Burnham, MP for Leigh and the shadow secretary of state for health; Yvette Cooper, MP for Pontefract and Castleford and the shadow home secretary; and Creagh, MP for Wakefield and the shadow secretary of state for international development.Standing alongside Corbyn are four other candidates: Liz Kendall, MP for Leicester West and the shadow minister for care and older people; Andy Burnham, MP for Leigh and the shadow secretary of state for health; Yvette Cooper, MP for Pontefract and Castleford and the shadow home secretary; and Creagh, MP for Wakefield and the shadow secretary of state for international development.
Corbyn says he hasn’t decided which of the other candidates he will back if he fails to raise the support needed to get his name on the ballot paper, but he adds: “The one who’s gone out of his way to agree with me where he can is Andy Burnham, but that’s where he can.”Corbyn says he hasn’t decided which of the other candidates he will back if he fails to raise the support needed to get his name on the ballot paper, but he adds: “The one who’s gone out of his way to agree with me where he can is Andy Burnham, but that’s where he can.”
Speaking to Newsnight on Monday night, Corbyn said that Ukip voters were “motivated to some extent by racism”. Asked about the comments, the MP said: “If people vote Ukip because they think their problems are going to be solved by stopping all immigration, or blaming immigrants for the shortage of housing, school places, hospital waiting lists or anything else, then that is really a false answer.”Speaking to Newsnight on Monday night, Corbyn said that Ukip voters were “motivated to some extent by racism”. Asked about the comments, the MP said: “If people vote Ukip because they think their problems are going to be solved by stopping all immigration, or blaming immigrants for the shortage of housing, school places, hospital waiting lists or anything else, then that is really a false answer.”
Corbyn argues that Labour caved into Ukip’s agenda on immigration in the run-up to last month’s election and describes the party’s infamous immigration mug as “embarrassing and quite awful”. Corbyn argues that Labour caved in to Ukip’s agenda on immigration in the runup to last month’s election and describes the party’s infamous immigration mug as “embarrassing and quite awful”.
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“I don’t think that people who vote Ukip are necessarily racist at all,” says Corbyn. “I think [voting Ukip is] a counsel of despair. And if we’re not offering anything different other than austerity light, then what are we really saying?” “I don’t think that people who vote Ukip are necessarily racist at all,” says Corbyn. “I think [voting Ukip is] a counsel of despair. And if we’re not offering anything different other than austerity-lite, then what are we really saying?”
Corbyn, who opposed the decision to go to war in Iraq and has defied his party’s whip 284 times since 2005, has often been at odds with the Labour leadership, but he insists that the party remains a comfortable home for his politics. “[The Labour party is] a mass organisation and was founded by trade unions and socialists and provides the only viable option for serious political change in Britain.”Corbyn, who opposed the decision to go to war in Iraq and has defied his party’s whip 284 times since 2005, has often been at odds with the Labour leadership, but he insists that the party remains a comfortable home for his politics. “[The Labour party is] a mass organisation and was founded by trade unions and socialists and provides the only viable option for serious political change in Britain.”
“In the last general election, Labour didn’t do particularly well, but it still got a very large number of votes. The other left parties got [a very small number of] votes. The Greens got a million and that is not necessarily a totally left [wing] vote.”“In the last general election, Labour didn’t do particularly well, but it still got a very large number of votes. The other left parties got [a very small number of] votes. The Greens got a million and that is not necessarily a totally left [wing] vote.”
“I do think that influencing the Labour party, the trade union movement and Labour politics is something that is very important,” he adds.“I do think that influencing the Labour party, the trade union movement and Labour politics is something that is very important,” he adds.
This interview was conducted for the Guardian’s Politics Weekly podcast, which you can listen to here.This interview was conducted for the Guardian’s Politics Weekly podcast, which you can listen to here.