Momentum was the force behind the Corbyn surge

So proud to have been part of the Momentum/Labour team that saw the party come from a polling of 24% at the start of the General Election campaign to gaining 32 seats.

Theresa May expected a landslide victory. She got a kick in the teeth. Instead of crushing the Labour Party & strengthening her mandate for a hard Brexit & austerity max, she inadvertently gifted Jeremy Corbyn a media platform he had previously been denied.

Suddenly, the man that his New Labour detractors claimed was unelectable, emerged as the people’s politician – headlining Glastonbury & smashing it. Everywhere he went, thousands came, each leaving inspired, taking the message of hope back to their families and friends, sharing memes and messages on social media. I saw the crowds that the mainstream media wouldn’t show & I knew history was in the making.

From the NHS to NME, Corbyn cared. He touched lives, spoke the truth, his humanity already healing wounds inflicted by 7 years of Tory hate. “He seems like a decent man” people would say, then, parroting tabloid propaganda, “but he’s not a leader”. If principles and integrity aren’t leadership traits, what are?

Towards the end everything changed. Sneers were replaced with beaming smiles. Reacting to my (vote Corbyn) badge on the tube one Saturday night, a football reveller broke into song, “Oh Jeremy Corbyn”, as he swayed, arms aloft, shrapnel from his burger discharged randomly about the carriage. Joined in the refrain by a suited white man, a Chinese couple and a Jamaican octogenarian, it was the sweetest tube ride of my life.  

The genie is out of the bottle now & there’s no going back.

Having backed Jeremy Corbyn and his socialist vision of hope and social justice from the start, I never lost the faith. Here's some stuff I wrote in the past:

On Jeremy Corbyn: A worthy leader:

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/dont-think-jeremy-corbyn-is-a-worthy-leader-maybe-its-time-to-leave-the-labour-party-a6773741.html

On the chicken coup:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/tess-finchlees/jeremy-corbyn_b_10760550.html

On media bias:

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/the-media-must-give-jeremy-corbyn-a-fair-hearing-a6804821.html

On New Labour losing the 2015 General Electiom

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/suffragettes-died-for-my-right-to-vote-so-dont-tell-me-that-i-shouldnt-vote-for-jeremy-corbyn-10495014.html


With 27,000 members in the UK alone Momentum has already changed the course of British politics. Why not sign up & join the army of foot soldiers we're gonna need to win next time 'round.

Sharing a post election drink with Emily Thornberry & Cat Smith. Two Labour legends & future cabinet ministers.

See channel 4 news clip about Momentum’s role in Labour’s incredible GE result here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3YXRZ4KEvc

A Call for Labour on June 8th

We're within touching distance of a Labour victory on June 8th. Jeremy Corbyn and his team have produced the most visionary manifesto in British history, with social justice, fairness and hope jumping out from every page. Despite the right wing media (I include the BBC in that) & Tory attack dogs resorting to underhand tactics and taking out "dark ads" on social media, Labour has run a positive, dignified campaign. 

The politics of fairness, building a society & economic infrastructure to benefit the many rather than the elite, rich few, has ignited an excitement that change is within our grasp. Jeremy Corbyn's principled politics of hope over hate has won the hearts & minds of the nation. More young people have registered to vote than ever before, thanks to Labour's efforts to engage them. The Tories made no attempt to register the youth vote.

Despite royally stitching up their loyal older supporters (Dementia tax, scrapping winter fuel allowance & the triple lock on pensions), the Tories can probably still rely on their vote on June 8th. Just because many older voters will vote (according to polling experts) out of habit.

So, winning this historic election on June 8th will depend on getting young people to come out & vote Labour and encouraging our parents & grandparents not to vote Tory & vote Labour instead.

Here's 4 things we can all do to make June 8th the end of May & be part of making history:

1) Call your parents & grandparents: Owen Jones' video below is spot on. It provides good routes into the kind of conversation (see below) we can have with our family.

https://callyourgrandfolks.com/

2) Call your friends & talk to them about your hopes, fears & the importance of voting for all of our futures on June 8th.

3) Get out on the door steps: Momentum has a tool (see below) to help find your nearest marginal (a constituency where the gap in votes is narrow & Labour could win- with grassroots support). June 8th is the most important day for door knocking. If you click on the link below it tells you where the meeting point is, if you feel you can spare a couple of hours, or even an hour on Thursday. If you're driving, maybe offer a lift to some friends & be part of making history together!

https://www.facebook.com/PeoplesMomentum/videos/453282308350495/