Britain’s Political Earthquake: Understanding the Corbyn Phenomenon

Speaker: Prof. Achin Vanaik, former Professor of Political Science, University of Delhi

 

Introduction: Shri Suhas Borker

 

Britain’s main opposition party now has in Jeremy Corbyn its most leftwing leader ever. This is not because Labour MPs - 95% of whom did not want him as leader - but in spite of them. This has reflected a great eruption of Grassroots support which has led to a trebling of Labour Party membership in just a few months. Corbyn has long opposed Britain's and his own party's policies on three major fronts. His 3 'NOs' have been - NO to Austerity, NO to Militarism in the name of Democracy, NO to social discrimination of any kind whether based on race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, caste or religion. This development needs to be seen in the context of the rise in public approval of a more radical left in Europe and North America.  In 2013, Corbyn was awarded the Gandhi International Peace Award for his "consistent efforts over a 30-year parliamentary career to uphold the Gandhian values of social justice and non?violence”.