2016 is over, welcome to the future

I watched the film Pride the other evening. It's about the Lesbian and Gay community that supported the miners' strike in 1984. I balled my eyes out at the end of the film and both laughed and felt the tears trickling down my face through it. It's a film that conveys an important message. That message is:

The importance of solidarity - United we stand, divided we fall.

We can defeat the Tories and all the other bigots on the right. We can overcome the hate mongers. There are more of us than them. We just need to organise. If all those that are currently being targeted and persecuted by the right joined together we could drive them from power and elect a progressive government. A progressive government, an alliance that will serve all of the people.

I have always felt that the miners' strike was a misjudgement by the likes of Arthur Scargill and the NUM leadership. A trap was set and they fell for it. And it was the members that suffered. The men of the pits paid the price. The folly of their leaders broke the labour movement.

If all the pressure groups that represent those that are currently being bullied and oppressed by the right joined forces then a powerful movement could be built. A movement of inclusiveness. A movement for fairness, equality and justice. Society is a hollow vessel if it is not for all.

It's my party and...

@Corbyn4Leader  #corbyn

Tonight I witnessed something quite remarkable. And something that five months ago I would have thought was not possible; enthusiastic, smiley happy people attending a political meeting. Labour party people mostly, plus labour supporters, and no doubt, the odd curious reactionary as well. But for the good part the audience were party members, including myself. We had to queue at Open in Norwich, a venue that is normally host to music acts, for about an hour just to get in. The queue was long, very long. Several hundred yards long. Blimey I thought, you don't even get queues this long for popular beat combos.

Why the queues? Well. JC was in town. No, not that JC, but, Jeremy Corbyn; conviction politician extraordinaire. And hoards of ordinary people like me had turned up to hear him speak. Sadly the meeting was so popular that not everyone could get in. Apparently about two hundred people were denied access as the venue had reached capacity. So what did Jeremy do? He went and addressed the people outside first. How cool is that?

Anyone who thinks that Jeremy Corbyn's popularity is bolstered by infiltrators and Tory sympathisers hoping that Labour will elect a leader who will not be popular with the electorate at large is very much mistaken. I would wager that the majority of his support comes from genuine committed labour supporters who want a leader that puts equality and policy before personality, and believes in opportunity for the many rather than for just a few. What the New Labour Blairites don't get is that we want our party back and we want it back now! We don't want to be told what we can and can't do by Oxbridge suits. We want a people's party with policies that benefit the whole of society. A party that will oppose the Tories rather than mimic them. 'Tory Light' has no place in the Labour Party.

If I was in any doubt about which leadership candidate I was going to vote for before tonight I'm not now. Jeremy Corbyn gets my vote. A vote for JC is a vote for REAL LABOUR.

I really hope that this time we can make a difference. That we can start to affect real political change. Political change that will challenge the evil Tories and the austerity lie.

You too can join the Labour Party. Be part of a growing movement. Now is the time. Do so here, please. And to find out about the policies and ideas that Jeremy stands for please visit here.

Life could be a lot better for us all if we are prepared to play our part!