There’s a lot of soul-searching going on as to why so many people voted for Crobyn’s Labour instead of Mrs “Strong and Stable” May
It’s not that hard, and neither was it unexpected outside the Westminster/Media echo chamber. And it wasn’t because May hacked off the elderly by appearing to raid their savings to pay for care that’s give to others for nothing, although it really didn’t help.
Neither was it because May is perceived boring in a superficial celebrity world.
It’s because Corbyn offered to give people free money and they believed him. People like free money.
There was an age-based split in the voting. A lot of young people, who haven’t lived through the false promise of socialism, have no reason to question the reality of what is being proposed. (And Blair’s government wasn’t socialist).
So, tell young people they’ll be let off paying university tuition fees and they’ll love you. Even better, refund fees already paid and even more people, and their parents, will love you.
Policies like nationalising the railways play well to anyone under the age of 50. If you’re older than this you’ll know just what a mess British Rail was and would never want a return to the bad old days (unless you’re a Rail Union).
But to young people, quick fixes and free money are always going to be a vote winner. As the population ages towards 2022 and more of those with long memories have dropped off their perch, the balance may well tip.
Labour, in order to be a credible opposition, needs to do something about this. Most Labour MP’s know the score, which is why they were so distraught when Corbyn became their leader. (At least I hope it was this rather than concern for their re-electability). If they can’t, the Conservatives need to learn how to fight fire with fire. And they need better leadership.
Higher Education doesn’t need more subsidy, it needs major reform; we’re failing or children by putting them through inappropriate degrees and charging them for it. The academic world is complicit as there are a lot of people making a good living at their expense, paid for by the young people who believe it’s the thing they need to do.
The UK has five years to get it’s politics in order or we’re all in trouble. I told you so.
Update:
You couldn’t make this up. Everyone in the country heard Labour say they’d scrap tuition fees and write off student loans. Now Corbyn is claiming he only said he’d “look at the problem”. ‘sfunny, but that’s not the impression he gave. Everyone from Twitter to those I met on the doorstep were really excited about the prospect of free money. Labour activists were repeating it ad-nauseum. Did the leadership do anything to prevent this lie from spreading? I don’t remember a word being said.