Interesting thing is that corbyn sceptics within Labour Party & PLP played a unintentional but vital role in tricking Theresa May into holding an election she didn't needs to have
Chris Fuller The person who can put Labour into no10 is the person for me. Sick of dreaming, sick of years of campaigning against Tories - I want action NOW.
I saw him 2015 before he was elected and I thought this is a man who really stands for what I believe in. Pro- peace and pro- justice. I have voted for him in 2 leadership elections and will vote for him in this election. I believe even if we do not win a majority , he will continue to fight for the people. We need to vote for him to increase his share of the vote.
If Corbyn wins or there is a hung parliament, Owen is one of those who must apologise to his friend Corbyn. Yes he was probably the most high profile media personality supporter of Corbyn in the first leadership election but as soon as the heat was turned up on Corbyn by the PLP and the MSM, instead of calling out the unprecedented bias that was obvious to anyone Owen instead chose to go lukewarm on Corbyn when Jezza needed his support the most. Owen's politics may be of the Left but he is a product of the inside the beltway media establishment and is far too cosy being the Left voice on some msm show rather than totally tell the truth about this system to its defenders faces. You can see his sheepish demeanour in this interview as he's smart enough to know that expecting abject failure by Labour this election because the polls and his msm friends said so, has cost him his credibility to a certain extent. Challenge the system without equivocation Owen and never turn against or turn lukewarm towards an honest man who represents many of your supposed ideals just because he is receiving widespread attacks. I myself was frustrated with Corbyn because I thought he was allowing his enemies to control the narrative with regards to his public image and that he needed to go on the attack more rather than believing his nice and FairPlay demeanour would eventually win out. I was wrong as May's calamitous campaign has allowed Corbyn's approach to work in his favour. I feel bad for doubting him and so should you Owen!
I like the interviews by Owen Jones - I thought the Peter Hitchens ones were really good! Keep up the good work - maybe you can do one with the new PM on Friday?
Great stuff as always Owen. A defiant SNP voter since Blair turned me off Labour, I am on the Corbyn choo choo as are all the family and friends. Fingers crossed Labour do well xx
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. There is no magic money tree sadly. If Corbyn gets into power he’ll spend, spend, spend money the country doesn’t have which is counter productive madness. This will mean the markets and rating agencies will lose confidence that Britain is capable of repaying our debt (like Greece). This means the pound will weaken, Standard & Poors and Moody’s will cut our credit rating and the Government will have to pay higher interest rates on our colossal debt (this is a function of foreign investors willingness to lend to us). This will mean we’ll have to borrow, borrow, borrow to pay the interest on our debt taking us into an extremely dangerous debt spiral, which we’re only narrowly avoiding at the moment. Higher interest rates will have to be paid by banks and passed on, causing everyone’s mortgages to increase which means less money on consumption, falling GDP and consumer confidence and eventually fewer jobs. Even Gordon Brown realised that raising taxes above 40% lowers the amount the Treasury collects because it crushes the productive side of the economy as people are less inclined to work. The danger of Jeremy Corbyn is his utter contempt for economics and the financial markets which unfortunately have to be obeyed.
+C13RCA Most Leftists don't understand this stuff it goes totally over their heads. After 5 years of a high spending Corbyn government they will learn the hard way.
I like Clive's loyalty and intelligence ton stay on message. A bright star for the future of the Labour Party. Such a refreshing change after being exposed to the self serving poison delivered by Jess Phillips.
Interesting how Lewis goes on about a campaign of hope, yet his in Norwich South has been one completely predicated on fear. He has been whipping up the fear of a Conservative candidate winning, by pasting outdated polls from January stating that the Tories were not far behind Labour. The current polls suggest otherwise and he has unfairly squeezed the Lib-Dem and Green vote - even though they don't really want to vote for him, but have been lied to by the Labour campaign. Lewis should apologise for the countless complaints they have received about the aggression that people have experienced on doorsteps by activists, claiming that by not voting for Labour they're supporting the Tories.
Love Clive Lewis! He seems like such a nice normal decent guy and genuinely cares. He'd have my vote any day. Glad he won Norwich with a thumping majority.😊👍
If only every young voter who wants to have a decent future would talk to their parents and grandparents - Vote Labour or have a rest at home or with firends on Thursday...
Owen I think its time for you to step up and become an MP. I wonder why you've not done this. I know the Daily Fail will give you a really hard time because you are gay and your parents were in militant tendency. Do you think it would be easier if were in a steady relationship? This question comes from someone who is black lesbian and has been fighting for equality an social justice for the last 30 years. (If you think the question is too personal just ignore it) I think you are wonderful!
The full quotation from scripture is relevant, being a condemnation of elite pride and the abusiveness of the rich: “Pride goes before disaster, and arrogance before a fall. Better live humbly with those in need than divide the spoil with the proud. He who is shrewd in business will prosper, but happy is he who puts his trust in the LORD.” Proverbs 16: 18-20 As you can see from the full context, it's not just any pride, its The Proud, who are those who divide spoils, and prosper in business, who fail to live humbly, and don't have the faith to live justly, which is not profiting off others.
Note work is the only option...you were born to work, sound like slavery, that's because it is...the right offers the same shit in different shoes...work or starve...when everything is owned then you must pay. Everyone enters this carrying nothing and that means nothing is owned...where does the right to own everything come from?
Already saying he should stay when he loses! Owen wait for the result. The manifesto is good but uncosted. He is doing well because a) He is a great campaigner (different to leader), b) The Tories haven't fought the election (arrogance). C) It's a social democrat manifesto not a far left one as anticipated (albeit uncosted.....) Given the lack of Tory manifesto he should win! So if he doesn't win we need a new leader who WILL win, please.
Apologies if I've misunderstood your comment, but I'm not sure why you're saying that the Labour manifesto is uncosted - it is actually fully costed and backed by many economists.
It is not fully costed - they have not included any costings for the renationalisation of the rail and postage services etc. Furthermore the rest of it is fully costed in terms of simple maths (1+1 = 2) but it fails to take into account the fact that e.g. a raise in income and cooperation tax produces short term increases in tax revenue, but long term decreases.
Rosie Smith Thank you for your polite enquiry Rosie. Very refreshing these days. I also heard it was costed but couldn't find most of the costs. They also failed to include impact costs... I don't expect impacts to be included in the manifesto but I do expect a credible answer when asked about the impacts on national television. Finally, I don't think JC is in contact with all his team. Doesn't look like a tight economic ship to me. I disagree with most of Diane's views but as a black professional woman I'm livid about the way she has been over promoted and left to fend for herself. 30000 x 10000 = 3 million!?! Huh. No, not fully costed.
With Labour you get Keir Starmer helming the negotiations. He is world class. I'd much rather have him doing it than David Davis et al. That's to say nothing of the Tories' domestic policies, which are just dreadful for everyone except the exceptionally well-off.
Labour's negotiating team would be Jeremy Corbyn, Emily Thornberry and Kier Starmer. Thornberry and Corbyn are both calm under pressure, Jeremy has shown in two leadership elections and one general election how capable he is of pulling it out of the bag when it counts. Kier Starmer is probably the best qualified person in the commons with his history as a lawyer, a complete safe pair of hands. The Tories team is Theresa May who can't speak off script and cracks under pressure (not conducive to success in ten hour negotiating sessions), David Davis who's just a scary individual and behaved in a very suspect fashion to Leanne Wood on Question Time and Boris Johnson who is the least diplomatic person in the country, a racist and a national disgrace. Brexit is far safer under Labour than the Tories
Why are people comparing Keir to Boris? Boris is foreign sec, and Keir is brexit sec - it is a completely illogical comparison. Will Lovell - all you've done is insulted the tories, without actually giving any facts or reasoning as to why they're worse. David Davies in my view has been solid so far in the negotiations, he knows not to needlessly give away key negotiating benefits, such as the rights of nationals without getting anything in return. He's been clever in saying that he wouldn't accept any divorce bill, knowing this will cause the EU to reduce their figure. He's said he would rather have no deal that a bad one which is also an extremely clever way of getting the EU to give us a better deal, as they know no deal would be disastrous for them. Whereas Keir (imo) has been wrong on all of these stances - he may have qualifications as a lawyer, but as a lawyer you don't negotiate and that is the key skill we need. If you want to talk about other members of the cabinet (like you've done for Boris) look at Dianne Abott - she is an absolute embarrassment; not knowing basic maths or key security briefings at a time of national crisis, so much so even Corbyn is trying to keep her off air. Emily Thornberry, has insulted working people of this country, so we cannot trust her to negotiate on our behalf, and she too has had many a car crash interview over figures. If these people cannot hold their own in a simple tv interview can you trust them in a negotiation? Jeremy Corbyn, as you pointed out is very good at preaching to the converted - he did well in the leadership elections, and he is doing well on the campaign trial but as soon as you put him in front of people who do not agree with him he crumbles. We saw the rebellion in the Labour party, we've seen him in Parliament - he cannot hold his own, so what makes you think he will do so well negotiating with the EU, who are completely opposed to the entire premise of Brexit? Whereas May is the reverse; she doesn't do as well on the campaign, but she is tough, and can negotiate, as was proven by her justice negotiations with the EU as home secretary.
Sorry M8 just can bring myself to vote for Corbyn when he has someone as incompetent as Diane Abbott by his side it will be Tim Farron for me. #AllaboardtheTimtrain
He only appointed her cos she's been loyal to him and at the time he had no close friends on the front bench. His other appointments have been really promising. Im not keen on her either but bloody hell- Farron? You wont vote for an entire party because of one uninspiring candidate, but you'll vote for Farron....wow.
Michael O'Regan there's an interview with SNP MP on the BBC. he said much the same about the treatment of Corbyn. They who can't respect a democratic result should not be in a democratic party.
Hope and principles and that audacity. All along. Let's keep paddling this dragonboat. For the finish line. This one. Not other longer term political horizons. Circumspect amazement, a bit of humility, fair play. Anything can happen and let's keep paddling. Let's love proving you/your earlier predictions wrong. Hee hee. 😚💓💖💓🖖
I liked corbyn from day one ,he is in touch with the people, he is honest and he is a leader, he stands for everything that is decent and right ,and Iam glad others can now see his strength as a decent person that really cares for humanity , something that is so rare today in politician's
Clive Lewis really needs to stand for the leadership of the party after this election. I believe he is one of the few people on the left that could appeal to the wider electorate and swing some Tory voters which is what Labour needs to do to get back in power.
MrTheHarderTheyCome Yet another FASCIST TWAT In Power!!! 😡😡😡 Way 2 Go!!! 😡😡😡 & all The more reason to Join The LD!!! & maybe He can ram it up HARD/FAST To that Diane Abbott!!! Provided that He's Thingy can find it that is? 😂😂😂
Oh by sacrificing original labour beliefs you mean to get tory voters and appeal to business ? The labour party members may want a tony blair type, yet its supporters are behind corbyn.
What we need is not a Labour government but the means to overthrow capital and replace it with an arrangement where the needs of people supplants the profit pursuits of private capitalist enterprises. Capital has always used the state to defend its interests against those of the working class; illustrations of this can be found in the various laws passed preventing workers from organizing and improving their conditions (Combination Laws, etc.) You could trace a multitude of problems (from poverty, mental health, etc.) to this economic arrangement where people are forced to rent themselves to those who are in possession of the means of production to survive. Crimes of an economic nature ("stealing" and so on) would vanish if people could simply take what they need. It would simplify things tremendously if workers everywhere could just take over their workplaces and begin producing for need, but that's prevented by the bourgeois state at capital's defense and the low levels of class consciousness. Corbyn and his party colleagues (and lets not forget- he is just another politician) is just a slightly left-wing capitalist who will keep the class system and the bourgeois state in place and all the inequality that that entails- he is not the solution, he will just be another problem that we will need to rid ourselves of.
Oh dear.. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. There is no magic money tree sadly. If Corbyn gets into power he’ll spend, spend, spend money the country doesn’t have. This will mean the markets and rating agencies will lose confidence that Britain is capable of repaying our debt (like Greece). This means the pound will weaken, Standard & Poors and Moody’s will cut our credit rating and the Government will have to pay higher interest rates on our colossal debt (this is a function of foreign investors willingness to lend to us). This will mean we’ll have to borrow, borrow, borrow to pay the interest on our debt taking us into an extremely dangerous debt spiral, which we’re only narrowly avoiding at the moment. Higher interest rates will have to be paid by banks and passed on, causing everyone’s mortgages to increase which means less money on consumption, falling GDP and consumer confidence and eventually fewer jobs. Even Gordon Brown realised that raising taxes above 40% lowers the amount the Treasury collects because it crushes the productive side of the economy as people are less inclined to work. The danger of Jeremy Corbyn is his utter contempt for economics and the financial markets which unfortunately have to be obeyed.
C13RCA Fact indicates that they aren't the most intelligent of people. Many of them have inherited wealth. Generally the most intelligent of people work for them, and their skills will be required anywhere, anytime.
When Corbyn eventually stands down (something I hope doesn't happen for a long time, even if labour loses Corbyn has clearly demonstrated he is a powerful force for the labour party and he's clearly galvanising public support) I would love to see Clive or Barry 'Mad Baz' Gardiner become the next leader.
The most precocious meeting the most self-serving , both behaving like two giggling girls “labour came into existence for the working people” ? do you want to say that now standing next to starmer lads?
The Young of this country have the power in their hands on Thursday! Please forgive all of us oldies that have tried to deny you a future - please get out and vote - get your friends and family out to vote! SAVE OUR NHS - SAVE OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM - SUPPORT OUR POLICE and ARMED FORCES - VOTE LABOUR!! VOTE FOR A FUTURE - YOUR FUTURE!!
"The distinguishing feature of Communism is not the abolition of property generally, but the abolition of bourgeois property. But modern bourgeois private property is the final and most complete expression of the system of producing and appropriating products, that is based on class antagonisms, on the exploitation of the many by the few." --Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto LABOUR PARTY 2017 SLOGAN: "For the many, not the few."
Please - All you youngsters get out and vote LABOUR to save your NHS! Hopefully none of you will ever need it - I didn't think I would ever need it but thank god it was there for me! If May get's in - it's gone! VOTE LABOUR - VOTE CORBYN!
Moneybox and shares adverts on these videos - thanks RUclips - are getting really annoying. And patronising. Don't beat us join us... but actually played as Beat us by joining up? Yeah. Jog on banker brand. We're still not what you think we are and we prosper better through kindness not selfish one upmanship.
'What's gone wrong for them then?!' May is currently on a greater share of the popular vote than Blair was in 97. Corbyn will be crushed on Thursday. Can we please have a live stream of Owen's face when the Exit Poll is released?
In reality, Corbyn's told little but lies throughout this campaign, including specific ones to interviewers like Andrew Neil and Sophy Ridge, and to several audience members at other venues too. Most notably, in the Q&A session before the Paxman interview. It's why the Dear Leader's explanations re his known extremist stances on so many points are being called increasingly into question (except of course by the BBC). To the extent that some of these instances have finally piqued the interest of even the mainstream press. Here, for example, in that most august daily of all; the FT ''Jeremy Corbyn’s record of links with violent Irish republicans is likely to haunt the Labour leader during the final two weeks of Britain’s election campaign.'' ''On Monday night, Mr Corbyn, 68, was asked why he had attended a meeting in May 1987 which “honoured” eight recently killed members of the Provisional IRA.'' ''Mr Corbyn responded that he had attended the event and a minute of silence, organised by the Wolfe Tone society, which describes itself as an Irish republican support group, to “call for a peace and dialogue process”.'' (The article goes on to say) ''But the only contemporary newspaper report of the Wolfe Tone Society event - in the Sunday Express - says that Mr Corbyn stood in silence for a minute to commemorate the IRA dead in the Loughgall ambush. It also quotes Mr Corbyn as saying he is happy to commemorate “all those who died fighting for an independent Ireland”, rather than victims of the violence as a whole.'' www.ft.com/content/9f833a98-452c-11e7-8519-9f94ee97d996 As can be seen in this 'Belfast News Letter' article from two years ago which reproduces the original 1987 Sunday Express front page c/w the report on Corbtn's real words and actions when he'd attended the meeting. It also explains how the News Letter itself obtained the copy (from the British Library). www.newsletter.co.uk/news/night-jeremy-corbyn-stood-in-honour-of-dead-ira-terrorists-1-7008757 So OK, let's cut the shit and get through to the real issue here, shall we? Certainly many voters, especially younger ones under thirty who were not even born at the time will wonder what all the fuss is about. It's ancient history and how can dragging it up now in an age of post-peace power sharing be relevant? Indeed, in view of the uncertainties surrounding Brexit, does not doing so only risk increasing discord and reviving old animosities? My answer is, no. That's not the real point of citing it to begin with. Who Corbyn may have backed during 'The Troubles' and what he may or may not have contributed to the peace process itself (at best nothing, if those parliamentarians like Seamus Mallon and Mo Mowlam who really did contribute immensely were to be believed) is now a matter for professional Historians. Yet what is undoubtedly relevant to this election campaign is how Corbyn has presented this facet of his past political career to interviewers and audiences in election campaign programmes screened on prime time TV to millions of potential voters. Because put plainly, by lying deliberately he's guilty of presenting a false or at best incredibly sanitised image of himself, his character, his political beliefs and his consequent motivations, to millions of people. That is a serious impediment to entrusting any party led by him with government. Especially in light of recent terrorist incidents. How can Corbyn's word on anything whatsoever be trusted at all?
If He or Diane Abbott ever Becomes Lab Leader? Then am Immediately Cancelling My Lab Membership! & Joining up with The LD's! I'd Sign up with The SNP If I were an Scottish Citizen!
I always enjoy engaging discourse among those with both intelligence and common sense. I just watched two of them. Very well done. Lewis is much more than impressive.
(Graffiti Tagging the comment section) If Everybody Looked The Same, We'd Get Tired of Looking at Each Other?... This was born out of a discussion on free speech (the video on youtube that sparked it concerned the dominance of the centre of politics and the neo-liberal establishment - it was flalse flagged and taken down). I have concerns with the left and the right and 'the centre'... where's the love? Anyway, I'm too alexithymic to really care but I thought why not just leave my dribble: - I think a really good discussion would be regarding the positives and negatives of specialisation in our modern technological society - I would include sociology and biology as technologies becuase they are tools for understanding and shaping our environment. I've thought about this in terms of the transgender issue before. I think it could be successfully argued that specialisation increases the risk of curruption (we're all sinners I guess). Also, I think it is helpful for someone studying sociology to have an awareness of biology... The same for anyone studying biology - they should have a social awareness. I have matured a lot - I would never have guessed why athiests would be ideologically anti-transgender when I started looking into this. Why sociologists and feminists and libertarians are anti-transgender too. I have actually developed more of a respect for just your bog standard transphobic person (compared to atheists) because at least their objections are genuine, if mis-guided by an obsession with sex. I'm not sure where Marxism stands on this to be honest. It seems clear to me though that at least Chomsky and his followers have a collateral advantage in supporting Transgender people as it is consistent with Chomsky's theories on innate grammar (and so gender identity by extension is also innate... rather than being exclusively a social construct...). Athiest anti-transgender comes from rationalism as far as I can make out - that it's irrational for someone to be alternative to a heterosexual "cisgendered" (identify with assigned sex at birth) male or female, presumeably because it makes no evolutionary sense (along those kinds of lines... basically LGBT is non-conformist etc... Sam Harris territory that anything different must be bad - otherwise why be different and 'inferior'?). Libertarians are "incompatibalists" regarding free will and determinism - which is just stupid. But free will is not necessarily the same as consciousness (for example Daniel Dennet - another one of the four horsemen - thinks consciousness is an illusion). Anyway, I'm sure you know all this. On Feminism and Transgender - it is really complex (almost paradoxical) but I have been able to resolve it... but in a really controversial way, but is representative of how we are as biological entities so it has the advantage of being natural: In my view, Gender being a social construct is not incompatible with Transgender people... My view involves understanding cis male and cis female brain anatomy and how they work differently in different contexts (Stress tolerance and aggressive behaviour - this is the controversial bit) and also the function of oxytocin (a social hormone - involved with social constructs) receptors in the brain and differences between cis males and cis females in this regard also (and relating to stress and aggression). Evidence for biological connections to behavioural differences tends to come form rat studies though (even in papers regarding human beings).. though autopsies on humans can reveal anatomical differences. There are also natural intances of brain damage caused by lesions in specific locations in human brains that reveal behavioural differences with regards to a person's gender perfomance (like aggressiveness or stress tolerance or mating behaviours etc). In transgender people the role of the brain in regards to these aspects is opposite to their sex assigned at birth - so the problem for feminism their is that a biological female (XX chromosomes) with a transgender brain will most likely have a better stress tolerance and be more aggressive than their cis female counterparts (this is still unproven theory btw)... and yet under feminism, this person with a female body (but male brain) should be allowed to dominate other women just like men can dominate women. If this all paints cis females as weak - males being more aggressive and having a better stress tolerance comes at the price of a being out-performed by females in a calm civilised setting when it comes to assimilating information [if that isn't feminsim though, then I don't know what is?]. I still have some issues with being transgender though. I mean, I have researched it - it is a real thing, as real as homosexuality and has just as significant effect on someone I think... so being in the wrong gender is kind of like sleeping with a person of the wrong sex. But I don't think it is quite the same as homosexuality in one respect - fair enough, we have sensory maps of our bodies in our brains that seem to relate to our gender identity so there is nothing we can do about that, and also there really do seem to be parts of the brain that relate socially to our gender identity as well (in relation to being called a man or a woman) and also there is a different feeling and behaviour evident to a persons gender identity as well (like what kinds of things matter to them and behaviours they prefer to exhibit and even the pitch of their voice)... But, I do feel we need to evolve beyond the gender and sex distinctions we have at the moment - to raise our level of consciousness... In some sense I think transgender people need to adopt their preferred gender identity in order to move on with their lives and not be caught up in the unfulfilled base desires of sex and gender... y'know basically, deal with their private issues much like a homosexual person needs to. ...But in another sense base desires are being constantly pushed down us by society with porn and advertising and gender role expectations that I don't think help us where we are at the moment and won't help us in moving forwards. I seriously question the purpose of gender and what is gender between strangers? I think gender was more important and more public when we lived in tribes in-which everyone knew each other, but now gender is much more private... I guess there is an issue there as to whether we should go back to living in tribes again as a way of fulfilling our human needs, or, adopt a more rational approach for living in large civilised societies? This goes back to my first comment in this thread about the positives and negatives of specialisation: - On the one hand you can't argue that being transgender is unnatural (having medical intervention to change a person's outwards appearance from female to male for example) because we are all unnatural in our modern technological society in the way we are living our lives (never mind that medical intervention is compassion anyway). But gender itself is specialising - evolutionary speaking, the more you specialise the greater the risk of going extinct - and I think we over specialise gender in our society with gender roles and appearance etc.. to our detriment.. (we should all be like John Carpenter's "The Thing" - I'm just kidding)... but then if everybody was the same that would be specialising as well.
Hi Owen, know you're cazy busy this week but could you sometime do a piece on the history of the labour party its rooots and why they were important to working classes a hundred years ago (and today).I'm 58 and not sure younger people than myself really know the story and relevance........
I was just thinking that this is a really interesting interview enjoying the laid back style that is a breath of fresh air in politics. But Clive Lewis then comes out with "the EU will want to punish the UK during the brexit negotiations and it's best if Jeremy Corbyn is there instead" Why do MP's make scaremongering comments like this. Very frustrating
It takes courage to stand up for what you believe in, but to admit when you are wrong, shows intelligence and integrity. I hope we can be welcoming a new Labour leader into No. 10.
I never doubted Corbyn's ideas or policies which is why I supported him from the beginning, however there are issues there with JC. Labour need to sort out some organisational issues, and he needs to promote the younger crop of Labour more. That includes people like Clive Lewis, who has been very poorly utilised this campaign as he is one of the brightest politicians in the UK at the moment, Starmer who will be largely overseeing Brexit if Labour win (and the public need to see him to see that he is a fantastic operator and perfect for negotiations) and more in the Labour ranks rather than some of the old guard (you know who I mean). I also still think Labour would be smashing the Tories if Clive Lewis was in charge. Not completely his fault - the media, especially the tabloids, throw an awful lot of shit so some is bound to stick, but they would certainly have a lot less to say about Lewis. Having said that they are of course far better than the Conservatives and I think he has really turned it around in an incredible way. The Tories were part of this surge too with their pathetic manifesto, clear weakness and U-turns, but Corbyn has been good with the media and in getting the policies out there.
I managed to convince my mum and dad to vote Labour they voted lib dems in previous elections. I can't take full credit I suppose they also really liked the manifesto and are warming to Corbyn.
Whatever the result Corbyn has demonstrated his mettle. It is time for his opponents to recognise his qualities. Corbyn has returned credibility to the Labour message.
How in the name of god can this fool seriously say labour still represent the working man . All they did was target students and young people who have little or no idea what it's like to be a working man
May when she wanted to restrict the inet as well it has lost votes just have a good strategy and know your market remember an MP is having an interview and you the voter are the employer listen to the arguments
OWEN THANKS FOR ADMITTING YOU WERE WRONG ABOUT CORBYN
Now waiting for the rest of the Guardian mob to apologise for their atrocious & persistent efforts at character assassination.
Interesting thing is that corbyn sceptics within Labour Party & PLP played a unintentional but vital role in tricking Theresa May into holding an election she didn't needs to have
a man who can win 2 hostile leadership contests and reduce a 20 plus point lead is the man for me..
Chris Fuller The person who can put Labour into no10 is the person for me. Sick of dreaming, sick of years of campaigning against Tories - I want action NOW.
Yes buddy, I am a traitor and proud.
Firsthgyhgyhuy Lastujhujhuj Thanks!
Chris Fuller I agree shown himself to be a leader not toxic like the Tories.
Exiting watching May and Tories implode let's hope it lasts for a long time. Politicians work for the people not themselves or the 1 %
Great to see UEA and Norwich represented
i never doubted corbyn for one second..
Chris Fuller Me neither. He is true Labour.
Chris Fuller Me neither JC is what the Labour ought to be
As Clive said, JC is in his element. He's certainly stepped up to the plate. Let's hope it's enough.
I saw him 2015 before he was elected and I thought this is a man who really stands for what I believe in. Pro- peace and pro- justice. I have voted for him in 2 leadership elections and will vote for him in this election.
I believe even if we do not win a majority , he will continue to fight for the people. We need to vote for him to increase his share of the vote.
No. If he becomes the PM he will completely destroy the country and you'll be complicit.
Loved the pedestrianization gag at the start
Every time they say 'Corbyn can't win' his majority gets bigger. #JezWeWill
Make all the jokes you like Owen, but spend enough time in Norwich city centre and you'll see how much we could do with that pedestrianisation.
If Corbyn wins or there is a hung parliament, Owen is one of those who must apologise to his friend Corbyn. Yes he was probably the most high profile media personality supporter of Corbyn in the first leadership election but as soon as the heat was turned up on Corbyn by the PLP and the MSM, instead of calling out the unprecedented bias that was obvious to anyone Owen instead chose to go lukewarm on Corbyn when Jezza needed his support the most. Owen's politics may be of the Left but he is a product of the inside the beltway media establishment and is far too cosy being the Left voice on some msm show rather than totally tell the truth about this system to its defenders faces. You can see his sheepish demeanour in this interview as he's smart enough to know that expecting abject failure by Labour this election because the polls and his msm friends said so, has cost him his credibility to a certain extent. Challenge the system without equivocation Owen and never turn against or turn lukewarm towards an honest man who represents many of your supposed ideals just because he is receiving widespread attacks. I myself was frustrated with Corbyn because I thought he was allowing his enemies to control the narrative with regards to his public image and that he needed to go on the attack more rather than believing his nice and FairPlay demeanour
would eventually win out. I was wrong as May's calamitous campaign has allowed Corbyn's approach to work in his favour. I feel bad for doubting him and so should you Owen!
I forgot how much I like Clive Lewis. Should be a front bencher.
Clive Lewis For Deputy Leader!!
I like the interviews by Owen Jones - I thought the Peter Hitchens ones were really good! Keep up the good work - maybe you can do one with the new PM on Friday?
Great stuff as always Owen. A defiant SNP voter since Blair turned me off Labour, I am on the Corbyn choo choo as are all the family and friends. Fingers crossed Labour do well xx
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. There is no magic money tree sadly. If Corbyn gets into power he’ll spend, spend, spend money the country doesn’t have which is counter productive madness. This will mean the markets and rating agencies will lose confidence that Britain is capable of repaying our debt (like Greece). This means the pound will weaken, Standard & Poors and Moody’s will cut our credit rating and the Government will have to pay higher interest rates on our colossal debt (this is a function of foreign investors willingness to lend to us). This will mean we’ll have to borrow, borrow, borrow to pay the interest on our debt taking us into an extremely dangerous debt spiral, which we’re only narrowly avoiding at the moment. Higher interest rates will have to be paid by banks and passed on, causing everyone’s mortgages to increase which means less money on consumption, falling GDP and consumer confidence and eventually fewer jobs. Even Gordon Brown realised that raising taxes above 40% lowers the amount the Treasury collects because it crushes the productive side of the economy as people are less inclined to work. The danger of Jeremy Corbyn is his utter contempt for economics and the financial markets which unfortunately have to be obeyed.
They're going to tax rich people.
+C13RCA Most Leftists don't understand this stuff it goes totally over their heads. After 5 years of a high spending Corbyn government they will learn the hard way.
I can't I'm Jewish sadly :(
#votelabour
khosrow Zanganeh I Vote Lab! But Not Idiots/FASCISTS!!! 😡😡😡
Nick Muscat Oh gross... Progressive irony. Idiots/fascists!!?
LIEBOUR.
Impressive politician, Clive Lewis. If Labour can get rid of the old guard, MPs like him are a wise future.
I like Clive's loyalty and intelligence ton stay on message. A bright star for the future of the Labour Party. Such a refreshing change after being exposed to the self serving poison delivered by Jess Phillips.
Great interview.
Imagine I Owen interviewed Naomi Chomsky
Owen, You have inspired people to be activists and strive for the leadership that JC is now giving us......Why so quiet Owen?!
Interesting how Lewis goes on about a campaign of hope, yet his in Norwich South has been one completely predicated on fear. He has been whipping up the fear of a Conservative candidate winning, by pasting outdated polls from January stating that the Tories were not far behind Labour. The current polls suggest otherwise and he has unfairly squeezed the Lib-Dem and Green vote - even though they don't really want to vote for him, but have been lied to by the Labour campaign. Lewis should apologise for the countless complaints they have received about the aggression that people have experienced on doorsteps by activists, claiming that by not voting for Labour they're supporting the Tories.
It was buried, but you did admit you were wrong, so that's good. But it probably deserves its own video at some point.
Love Clive Lewis! He seems like such a nice normal decent guy and genuinely cares. He'd have my vote any day. Glad he won Norwich with a thumping majority.😊👍
I can't believe you came to UEA and I missed you :( love you Owen
Up front: a great, quotable interview. In the background: a B-roll consisting almost entirely of hot young guys. It's an Owen Jones special!
Yes, I rather enjoyed that.
good banter
I can re-subscribe now that you've said you were wrong
Bribing the youth with free education has to be a winner.
Why is he wearing a Poppy in June?
great interview. well done both.
love this and the last interview. adroit, but plain talking people. They are the part of the future of this movement.
i'm not sure he got the alan partridge reference??
If only every young voter who wants to have a decent future would talk to their parents and grandparents - Vote Labour or have a rest at home or with firends on Thursday...
Owen I think its time for you to step up and become an MP. I wonder why you've not done this. I know the Daily Fail will give you a really hard time because you are gay and your parents were in militant tendency. Do you think it would be easier if were in a steady relationship? This question comes from someone who is black lesbian and has been fighting for equality an social justice for the last 30 years. (If you think the question is too personal just ignore it) I think you are wonderful!
Great interview. Clive is great.
#VOTELABOUR the only choice for a better future,,,
UEA campus is beautiful! Such a strange combination of lush green landscapes and 60's brutalism.
This really, really hasn't aged well
The full quotation from scripture is relevant, being a condemnation of elite pride and the abusiveness of the rich:
“Pride goes before disaster, and arrogance before a fall. Better live humbly with those
in need than divide the spoil with the proud. He who is shrewd in business will prosper, but happy is he who puts his trust in the
LORD.” Proverbs 16: 18-20
As you can see from the full context, it's not just any pride, its The Proud, who are those who divide spoils, and prosper in business, who fail to live humbly, and don't have the faith to live justly, which is not profiting off others.
nice wish list here - but but no aint gonna happen - poor reality worse PM or even worse PM - you choose
You make a lovely couple
this was labours last ever chance at power. And i am glad they lost.
you didnt get the memo......
Note work is the only option...you were born to work, sound like slavery, that's because it is...the right offers the same shit in different shoes...work or starve...when everything is owned then you must pay. Everyone enters this carrying nothing and that means nothing is owned...where does the right to own everything come from?
Norwich :D
all It looks for me like beautifuo nob legitimate 8)
Already saying he should stay when he loses! Owen wait for the result. The manifesto is good but uncosted. He is doing well because a) He is a great campaigner (different to leader), b) The Tories haven't fought the election (arrogance).
C) It's a social democrat manifesto not a far left one as anticipated (albeit uncosted.....) Given the lack of Tory manifesto he should win! So if he doesn't win we need a new leader who WILL win, please.
Spot on mate (y)
Apologies if I've misunderstood your comment, but I'm not sure why you're saying that the Labour manifesto is uncosted - it is actually fully costed and backed by many economists.
Many economists but most say it does not add up.
It is not fully costed - they have not included any costings for the renationalisation of the rail and postage services etc. Furthermore the rest of it is fully costed in terms of simple maths (1+1 = 2) but it fails to take into account the fact that e.g. a raise in income and cooperation tax produces short term increases in tax revenue, but long term decreases.
Rosie Smith Thank you for your polite enquiry Rosie. Very refreshing these days. I also heard it was costed but couldn't find most of the costs. They also failed to include impact costs... I don't expect impacts to be included in the manifesto but I do expect a credible answer when asked about the impacts on national television. Finally, I don't think JC is in contact with all his team. Doesn't look like a tight economic ship to me. I disagree with most of Diane's views but as a black professional woman I'm livid about the way she has been over promoted and left to fend for herself. 30000 x 10000 = 3 million!?! Huh. No, not fully costed.
feel I'm hearing words l like dream... hope... optimism... 🤔...
I'm not optimistic Corbyn would do a good job in negotiations... who to vote for... 😥
With Labour you get Keir Starmer helming the negotiations. He is world class. I'd much rather have him doing it than David Davis et al. That's to say nothing of the Tories' domestic policies, which are just dreadful for everyone except the exceptionally well-off.
jenrexen thx. I will check it out.
Stephen Brockie Oh & Maggie May & Her 3 Stoggies Will? 😂😂😂
Labour's negotiating team would be Jeremy Corbyn, Emily Thornberry and Kier Starmer. Thornberry and Corbyn are both calm under pressure, Jeremy has shown in two leadership elections and one general election how capable he is of pulling it out of the bag when it counts. Kier Starmer is probably the best qualified person in the commons with his history as a lawyer, a complete safe pair of hands. The Tories team is Theresa May who can't speak off script and cracks under pressure (not conducive to success in ten hour negotiating sessions), David Davis who's just a scary individual and behaved in a very suspect fashion to Leanne Wood on Question Time and Boris Johnson who is the least diplomatic person in the country, a racist and a national disgrace. Brexit is far safer under Labour than the Tories
Why are people comparing Keir to Boris? Boris is foreign sec, and Keir is brexit sec - it is a completely illogical comparison.
Will Lovell - all you've done is insulted the tories, without actually giving any facts or reasoning as to why they're worse. David Davies in my view has been solid so far in the negotiations, he knows not to needlessly give away key negotiating benefits, such as the rights of nationals without getting anything in return. He's been clever in saying that he wouldn't accept any divorce bill, knowing this will cause the EU to reduce their figure. He's said he would rather have no deal that a bad one which is also an extremely clever way of getting the EU to give us a better deal, as they know no deal would be disastrous for them. Whereas Keir (imo) has been wrong on all of these stances - he may have qualifications as a lawyer, but as a lawyer you don't negotiate and that is the key skill we need.
If you want to talk about other members of the cabinet (like you've done for Boris) look at Dianne Abott - she is an absolute embarrassment; not knowing basic maths or key security briefings at a time of national crisis, so much so even Corbyn is trying to keep her off air. Emily Thornberry, has insulted working people of this country, so we cannot trust her to negotiate on our behalf, and she too has had many a car crash interview over figures. If these people cannot hold their own in a simple tv interview can you trust them in a negotiation?
Jeremy Corbyn, as you pointed out is very good at preaching to the converted - he did well in the leadership elections, and he is doing well on the campaign trial but as soon as you put him in front of people who do not agree with him he crumbles. We saw the rebellion in the Labour party, we've seen him in Parliament - he cannot hold his own, so what makes you think he will do so well negotiating with the EU, who are completely opposed to the entire premise of Brexit?
Whereas May is the reverse; she doesn't do as well on the campaign, but she is tough, and can negotiate, as was proven by her justice negotiations with the EU as home secretary.
Future PM
Sorry M8 just can bring myself to vote for Corbyn when he has someone as incompetent as Diane Abbott by his side it will be Tim Farron for me. #AllaboardtheTimtrain
as long as its not the tories:)
Shes gone and its pretty much been said that she wont be Home secretary so you got no excuse now ;) #VoteLabour
Jedi Smith for real?
He only appointed her cos she's been loyal to him and at the time he had no close friends on the front bench. His other appointments have been really promising. Im not keen on her either but bloody hell- Farron? You wont vote for an entire party because of one uninspiring candidate, but you'll vote for Farron....wow.
someold blackguy you handed your vote to the tories. well done.
I am voting Corbyn
Good on you up4atgal :) Come On Labour
Jedi Smith I can't I'm Jewish :(
Owen Jones smells of shit
"Corbyn's defied all expectations" you can say that again Owen.
OWEN THERE'S A TORY ADVERT ON THIS VIDEO YOU GOTTA SORT THIS OUT MATE
Concrete brutalist architecture of the UEA... :)
Very interesting comment from Clive about how Corbyn's been treated at PLP meetings.
Michael O'Regan there's an interview with SNP MP on the BBC. he said much the same about the treatment of Corbyn. They who can't respect a democratic result should not be in a democratic party.
When Corbyn eventually leaves, I think Clive Lewis should be the new leader of Labour
Hope and principles and that audacity. All along. Let's keep paddling this dragonboat. For the finish line. This one. Not other longer term political horizons. Circumspect amazement, a bit of humility, fair play. Anything can happen and let's keep paddling. Let's love proving you/your earlier predictions wrong. Hee hee. 😚💓💖💓🖖
I'll be honest, I was DEAD against the pedestrianisation of Norwich city centre. Owen's right, people DO forget that traders need access to Dixons!
Have the Guardian opened up and articles for comments yet regarding the terror event this week?
I liked corbyn from day one ,he is in touch with the people, he is honest and he is a leader, he stands for everything that is decent and right ,and Iam glad others can now see his strength as a decent person that really cares for humanity , something that is so rare today in politician's
Clive Lewis really needs to stand for the leadership of the party after this election. I believe he is one of the few people on the left that could appeal to the wider electorate and swing some Tory voters which is what Labour needs to do to get back in power.
Completely agree, would love to see him lead the Labour party in the future
MrTheHarderTheyCome Yet another FASCIST TWAT In Power!!! 😡😡😡 Way 2 Go!!! 😡😡😡 & all The more reason to Join The LD!!! & maybe He can ram it up HARD/FAST To that Diane Abbott!!! Provided that He's Thingy can find it that is? 😂😂😂
i would have agreed until he gave into to the Israeli lobby.
MrTheHarderTheyCome and the right wing press will just crucify him like they have done to Jeremy Corbyn.
Oh by sacrificing original labour beliefs you mean to get tory voters and appeal to business ? The labour party members may want a tony blair type, yet its supporters are behind corbyn.
What we need is not a Labour government but the means to overthrow capital and replace it with an arrangement where the
needs of people supplants the profit pursuits of private capitalist enterprises. Capital has always used the state to defend its interests against those of the working class; illustrations of this can be found in the various laws passed preventing workers from organizing and improving their conditions (Combination Laws, etc.) You could trace a multitude of problems (from poverty, mental health, etc.) to this economic arrangement where people are forced to rent themselves to those who are in possession of the means of production to survive.
Crimes of an economic nature ("stealing" and so on) would vanish if people could simply take what they need. It would simplify things tremendously if workers everywhere could just take over their workplaces and begin producing for need, but that's prevented by the bourgeois state at capital's defense and the low levels of class consciousness. Corbyn and his party colleagues (and lets not forget- he is just another politician) is just a slightly left-wing capitalist who will keep the class system and the bourgeois state in place and all the inequality that that entails- he is not the solution, he will just be another
problem that we will need to rid ourselves of.
great interview. really enjoying the high quality content you are putting out, Owen.
Oh dear.. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. There is no magic money tree sadly. If Corbyn gets into power he’ll spend, spend, spend money the country doesn’t have. This will mean the markets and rating agencies will lose confidence that Britain is capable of repaying our debt (like Greece). This means the pound will weaken, Standard & Poors and Moody’s will cut our credit rating and the Government will have to pay higher interest rates on our colossal debt (this is a function of foreign investors willingness to lend to us). This will mean we’ll have to borrow, borrow, borrow to pay the interest on our debt taking us into an extremely dangerous debt spiral, which we’re only narrowly avoiding at the moment. Higher interest rates will have to be paid by banks and passed on, causing everyone’s mortgages to increase which means less money on consumption, falling GDP and consumer confidence and eventually fewer jobs. Even Gordon Brown realised that raising taxes above 40% lowers the amount the Treasury collects because it crushes the productive side of the economy as people are less inclined to work. The danger of Jeremy Corbyn is his utter contempt for economics and the financial markets which unfortunately have to be obeyed.
Tax is only being raised for the top 5%. Are you suggesting that those people are now going to quit their jobs and sign on?
They can easily move overseas as many have been over the years. The brain drain out of the UK continues to Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
C13RCA Fact indicates that they aren't the most intelligent of people. Many of them have inherited wealth. Generally the most intelligent of people work for them, and their skills will be required anywhere, anytime.
They're already leaving? That's funny, you almost wouldn't notice the difference.
Hope is Dope... Action is Satisfaction ...But, I can't get no satisfaction... no, no, no...
Poly Urethane you got bars
When Corbyn eventually stands down (something I hope doesn't happen for a long time, even if labour loses Corbyn has clearly demonstrated he is a powerful force for the labour party and he's clearly galvanising public support) I would love to see Clive or Barry 'Mad Baz' Gardiner become the next leader.
The most precocious meeting the most self-serving , both behaving like two giggling girls
“labour came into existence for the working people” ?
do you want to say that now standing next to starmer lads?
The Young of this country have the power in their hands on Thursday! Please forgive all of us oldies that have tried to deny you a future - please get out and vote - get your friends and family out to vote!
SAVE OUR NHS - SAVE OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM - SUPPORT OUR POLICE and ARMED FORCES -
VOTE LABOUR!! VOTE FOR A FUTURE - YOUR FUTURE!!
"The distinguishing feature of Communism is not the abolition of property generally, but the abolition of bourgeois property. But modern bourgeois private property is the final and most complete expression of the system of producing and appropriating products, that is based on class antagonisms, on the exploitation of the many by the few." --Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto
LABOUR PARTY 2017 SLOGAN: "For the many, not the few."
Please - All you youngsters get out and vote LABOUR to save your NHS!
Hopefully none of you will ever need it - I didn't think I would ever need it but thank god it was there for me!
If May get's in - it's gone!
VOTE LABOUR - VOTE CORBYN!
Moneybox and shares adverts on these videos - thanks RUclips - are getting really annoying. And patronising. Don't beat us join us... but actually played as Beat us by joining up? Yeah. Jog on banker brand. We're still not what you think we are and we prosper better through kindness not selfish one upmanship.
'What's gone wrong for them then?!' May is currently on a greater share of the popular vote than Blair was in 97. Corbyn will be crushed on Thursday. Can we please have a live stream of Owen's face when the Exit Poll is released?
In reality, Corbyn's told little but lies throughout this campaign, including specific ones to interviewers like Andrew Neil and Sophy Ridge, and to several audience members at other venues too. Most notably, in the Q&A session before the Paxman interview. It's why the Dear Leader's explanations re his known extremist stances on so many points are being called increasingly into question (except of course by the BBC). To the extent that some of these instances have finally piqued the interest of even the mainstream press.
Here, for example, in that most august daily of all; the FT
''Jeremy Corbyn’s record of links with violent Irish republicans is likely to haunt the Labour leader during the final two weeks of Britain’s election campaign.''
''On Monday night, Mr Corbyn, 68, was asked why he had attended a meeting in May 1987 which “honoured” eight recently killed members of the Provisional IRA.''
''Mr Corbyn responded that he had attended the event and a minute of silence, organised by the Wolfe Tone society, which describes itself as an Irish republican support group, to “call for a peace and dialogue process”.''
(The article goes on to say)
''But the only contemporary newspaper report of the Wolfe Tone Society event - in the Sunday Express - says that Mr Corbyn stood in silence for a minute to commemorate the IRA dead in the Loughgall ambush. It also quotes Mr Corbyn as saying he is happy to commemorate “all those who died fighting for an independent Ireland”, rather than victims of the violence as a whole.''
www.ft.com/content/9f833a98-452c-11e7-8519-9f94ee97d996
As can be seen in this 'Belfast News Letter' article from two years ago which reproduces the original 1987 Sunday Express front page c/w the report on Corbtn's real words and actions when he'd attended the meeting. It also explains how the News Letter itself obtained the copy (from the British Library).
www.newsletter.co.uk/news/night-jeremy-corbyn-stood-in-honour-of-dead-ira-terrorists-1-7008757
So OK, let's cut the shit and get through to the real issue here, shall we? Certainly many voters, especially younger ones under thirty who were not even born at the time will wonder what all the fuss is about. It's ancient history and how can dragging it up now in an age of post-peace power sharing be relevant? Indeed, in view of the uncertainties surrounding Brexit, does not doing so only risk increasing discord and reviving old animosities?
My answer is, no. That's not the real point of citing it to begin with. Who Corbyn may have backed during 'The Troubles' and what he may or may not have contributed to the peace process itself (at best nothing, if those parliamentarians like Seamus Mallon and Mo Mowlam who really did contribute immensely were to be believed) is now a matter for professional Historians.
Yet what is undoubtedly relevant to this election campaign is how Corbyn has presented this facet of his past political career to interviewers and audiences in election campaign programmes screened on prime time TV to millions of potential voters.
Because put plainly, by lying deliberately he's guilty of presenting a false or at best incredibly sanitised image of himself, his character, his political beliefs and his consequent motivations, to millions of people. That is a serious impediment to entrusting any party led by him with government. Especially in light of recent terrorist incidents.
How can Corbyn's word on anything whatsoever be trusted at all?
If He or Diane Abbott ever Becomes Lab Leader? Then am Immediately Cancelling My Lab Membership! & Joining up with The LD's! I'd Sign up with The SNP If I were an Scottish Citizen!
I always enjoy engaging discourse among those with both intelligence and common sense. I just watched two of them. Very well done. Lewis is much more than impressive.
(Graffiti Tagging the comment section) If Everybody Looked The Same, We'd Get Tired of Looking at Each Other?...
This was born out of a discussion on free speech (the video on youtube that sparked it concerned the dominance of the centre of politics and the neo-liberal establishment - it was flalse flagged and taken down). I have concerns with the left and the right and 'the centre'... where's the love? Anyway, I'm too alexithymic to really care but I thought why not just leave my dribble: -
I think a really good discussion would be regarding the positives and negatives of specialisation in our modern technological society - I would include sociology and biology as technologies becuase they are tools for understanding and shaping our environment. I've thought about this in terms of the transgender issue before. I think it could be successfully argued that specialisation increases the risk of curruption (we're all sinners I guess).
Also, I think it is helpful for someone studying sociology to have an awareness of biology... The same for anyone studying biology - they should have a social awareness.
I have matured a lot - I would never have guessed why athiests would be ideologically anti-transgender when I started looking into this. Why sociologists and feminists and libertarians are anti-transgender too. I have actually developed more of a respect for just your bog standard transphobic person (compared to atheists) because at least their objections are genuine, if mis-guided by an obsession with sex.
I'm not sure where Marxism stands on this to be honest. It seems clear to me though that at least Chomsky and his followers have a collateral advantage in supporting Transgender people as it is consistent with Chomsky's theories on innate grammar (and so gender identity by extension is also innate... rather than being exclusively a social construct...).
Athiest anti-transgender comes from rationalism as far as I can make out - that it's irrational for someone to be alternative to a heterosexual "cisgendered" (identify with assigned sex at birth) male or female, presumeably because it makes no evolutionary sense (along those kinds of lines... basically LGBT is non-conformist etc... Sam Harris territory that anything different must be bad - otherwise why be different and 'inferior'?). Libertarians are "incompatibalists" regarding free will and determinism - which is just stupid. But free will is not necessarily the same as consciousness (for example Daniel Dennet - another one of the four horsemen - thinks consciousness is an illusion). Anyway, I'm sure you know all this.
On Feminism and Transgender - it is really complex (almost paradoxical) but I have been able to resolve it... but in a really controversial way, but is representative of how we are as biological entities so it has the advantage of being natural: In my view, Gender being a social construct is not incompatible with Transgender people... My view involves understanding cis male and cis female brain anatomy and how they work differently in different contexts (Stress tolerance and aggressive behaviour - this is the controversial bit) and also the function of oxytocin (a social hormone - involved with social constructs) receptors in the brain and differences between cis males and cis females in this regard also (and relating to stress and aggression). Evidence for biological connections to behavioural differences tends to come form rat studies though (even in papers regarding human beings).. though autopsies on humans can reveal anatomical differences. There are also natural intances of brain damage caused by lesions in specific locations in human brains that reveal behavioural differences with regards to a person's gender perfomance (like aggressiveness or stress tolerance or mating behaviours etc). In transgender people the role of the brain in regards to these aspects is opposite to their sex assigned at birth - so the problem for feminism their is that a biological female (XX chromosomes) with a transgender brain will most likely have a better stress tolerance and be more aggressive than their cis female counterparts (this is still unproven theory btw)... and yet under feminism, this person with a female body (but male brain) should be allowed to dominate other women just like men can dominate women. If this all paints cis females as weak - males being more aggressive and having a better stress tolerance comes at the price of a being out-performed by females in a calm civilised setting when it comes to assimilating information [if that isn't feminsim though, then I don't know what is?].
I still have some issues with being transgender though. I mean, I have researched it - it is a real thing, as real as homosexuality and has just as significant effect on someone I think... so being in the wrong gender is kind of like sleeping with a person of the wrong sex. But I don't think it is quite the same as homosexuality in one respect - fair enough, we have sensory maps of our bodies in our brains that seem to relate to our gender identity so there is nothing we can do about that, and also there really do seem to be parts of the brain that relate socially to our gender identity as well (in relation to being called a man or a woman) and also there is a different feeling and behaviour evident to a persons gender identity as well (like what kinds of things matter to them and behaviours they prefer to exhibit and even the pitch of their voice)... But, I do feel we need to evolve beyond the gender and sex distinctions we have at the moment - to raise our level of consciousness...
In some sense I think transgender people need to adopt their preferred gender identity in order to move on with their lives and not be caught up in the unfulfilled base desires of sex and gender... y'know basically, deal with their private issues much like a homosexual person needs to.
...But in another sense base desires are being constantly pushed down us by society with porn and advertising and gender role expectations that I don't think help us where we are at the moment and won't help us in moving forwards. I seriously question the purpose of gender and what is gender between strangers? I think gender was more important and more public when we lived in tribes in-which everyone knew each other, but now gender is much more private... I guess there is an issue there as to whether we should go back to living in tribes again as a way of fulfilling our human needs, or, adopt a more rational approach for living in large civilised societies? This goes back to my first comment in this thread about the positives and negatives of specialisation: -
On the one hand you can't argue that being transgender is unnatural (having medical intervention to change a person's outwards appearance from female to male for example) because we are all unnatural in our modern technological society in the way we are living our lives (never mind that medical intervention is compassion anyway).
But gender itself is specialising - evolutionary speaking, the more you specialise the greater the risk of going extinct - and I think we over specialise gender in our society with gender roles and appearance etc.. to our detriment.. (we should all be like John Carpenter's "The Thing" - I'm just kidding)... but then if everybody was the same that would be specialising as well.
For a man who's called so many of the big political upsets correctly, it takes great humility to admit to being proved wrong by Corbyn. Big up!
Hi Owen, know you're cazy busy this week but could you sometime do a piece on the history of the labour party its rooots and why they were important to working classes a hundred years ago (and today).I'm 58 and not sure younger people than myself really know the story and relevance........
I was just thinking that this is a really interesting interview enjoying the laid back style that is a breath of fresh air in politics. But Clive Lewis then comes out with "the EU will want to punish the UK during the brexit negotiations and it's best if Jeremy Corbyn is there instead" Why do MP's make scaremongering comments like this. Very frustrating
It takes courage to stand up for what you believe in, but to admit when you are wrong, shows intelligence and integrity. I hope we can be welcoming a new Labour leader into No. 10.
I never doubted Corbyn's ideas or policies which is why I supported him from the beginning, however there are issues there with JC. Labour need to sort out some organisational issues, and he needs to promote the younger crop of Labour more. That includes people like Clive Lewis, who has been very poorly utilised this campaign as he is one of the brightest politicians in the UK at the moment, Starmer who will be largely overseeing Brexit if Labour win (and the public need to see him to see that he is a fantastic operator and perfect for negotiations) and more in the Labour ranks rather than some of the old guard (you know who I mean). I also still think Labour would be smashing the Tories if Clive Lewis was in charge. Not completely his fault - the media, especially the tabloids, throw an awful lot of shit so some is bound to stick, but they would certainly have a lot less to say about Lewis.
Having said that they are of course far better than the Conservatives and I think he has really turned it around in an incredible way. The Tories were part of this surge too with their pathetic manifesto, clear weakness and U-turns, but Corbyn has been good with the media and in getting the policies out there.
I'm actually really convinced by Clive's argument as to why Corbyn would be better for Brexit negotiations. Never thought of it like that!
Yes , Owen, Jeremy Corbyn is on Snapchat so no worries about his social media strategy in your grown up Guardian column.
Owen: I love Corb. 1 year later... Owen: I hate Corb. 3 months later... Owen: I love Corb. June 9th... Owen: I hate Corb.
I managed to convince my mum and dad to vote Labour they voted lib dems in previous elections. I can't take full credit I suppose they also really liked the manifesto and are warming to Corbyn.
Sorry, but what you gonna do with Mandelson, Blair, Eagles of this party?
Whatever the result Corbyn has demonstrated his mettle. It is time for his opponents to recognise his qualities.
Corbyn has returned credibility to the Labour message.
After Corbyn, Clive should be next Labour leader! He seem just as genuine and passionate about the country
I don't know if the discussion of May played as best might be.
I curse the Labour party to lose tomorrow by incanting 2 words "Diane" "Abbott"
So glad you admitted to being wrong Owen... I was beginning to give up on you...
Clive has to be leader in the future. Such a good guy and doesn't pull punches. Top bloke.
Fun Fact, Clive Used to play for spurs youths
Interview with Paul Joseph Watson? Would love to see you challenge his views, he seems to do well behind a camera with no one challenging
How in the name of god can this fool seriously say labour still represent the working man . All they did was target students and young people who have little or no idea what it's like to be a working man
We can watch one of your videos without panning shots of strangers! Stop being creepy with your transition shots!
Owen is just wishing Clive would drag him into the bushes and ravage the bourgeois out of him.
He's still not said how he fells about the pedestrianisation of Norwich city centre.
Owen in the first frame of this video it looks like you're about to do a sock puppet show.
THEY GOT MONEY FOR THE WAR BUT CAN’T FEED THE POOR - TUPAC SHAKUR #votelabour
May when she wanted to restrict the inet as well it has lost votes
just have a good strategy and know your market
remember an MP is having an interview and you the voter are the employer listen to the arguments
where is your big man-date?
delete on Friday please coz I almost believed
this guy should run he's awesome