I don't buy that Brexit is a right wing project. I think it is a project led by the right wing, but the ideas appeal to many of the founding principles of the labour movement i.e. the protection of jobs, which is the position Corbyn holds. Control itself is also is a left wing fundamental principle.
Brexit resonates with life-long labour voters because their support for each cause come from the same root. For many fear of immigration taking jobs is at the root of Brexit and job security is also at the root of supporting Labour for many.
Don't hear what I'm not saying. I don't buy these arguments but to say Brexit is right wing ignores one of the driving forces behind it being rooted firmly in left-wing ideology.
Obviously there are other reasons for people voting Brexit the resonated with right-wing voters, but the left is innocent in the success of the leave vote.
It is hardly surprising though. Labour learned more than 20 years ago that the old labour views weren't resonating with the public, so they changed tact and that is why Blair was so successful.
My belief is that the majority of the general public are more inclined to vote Labour than Tory, hence when they were both closer to centre, Labour would win. The issue is the further left ideals of the current Labour manifesto just aren't attractive to many voters. Nationalisation of major industries isn't really something that people are calling out for. So at the point that both parties pull away from the centre, the ideas that the Torys can sell around a prosperous economy etc. are more likely to win votes, as the middle class in the country grows.
This is highlighted by one of the points in the list a few posts back of all the terrible things the Tory government has caused. It is a shameful list, but having an increase in self-employed status among them is out-of-touch. People don't see that in the negative light that staunch labour voters would, because many would rather try to be their own boss with the potential of becoming wealthy, than have a secure job that doesn't offer this same opportunity.
This is what Blair recognised and Corbyn doesn't.
I believe Corbyn has a well-thought out perspective on a wide range of issues, that are often too nuanced for the general public or at least the media to take the time to understand, so he encapsulates them in sound-bites that are easy to deliberately take the wrong way, and if he tries to explain in more detail, he is labelled as unclear or confusing.
The issue is though that is fundamental beliefs aren't shared by the vast majority of the country, as even a large portion of labour voters aren't voting for him, but either as an anti-tory vote or from a lack of alternatives that can offer true opposition.
I really believe there is a space for a form of left wing politics in this country that can win a majority in an election, but it isn't this one.
