Just a quick, off the cuff response. Corbyn has been anti EU for most of his life so the sitting on the fence was a way for him to compromise on that but it generated distrust in him from remainers, particularly those in parties other than labour. To be honest, the remain side had a problem with supporters spread over Labour, LibDems, Greens and Tories. Someone like Kier Starmer, a definite remainer, would have been more attractive to those. Corbyn's far left history made it easy for the far right MSM owners (Barclay brothers, Murdoch, Lord Rothermere) to run scare stories about him. Some proposals, like nationalising OpenReach to rollout fibre broadband did seem to appear from nowhere. I don't believe Corbyn is anti semitic but I don't think he handled the issue well; Momentum is an obvious issue, I'm not lover of them. The Conservative party also has islamaphobic and anti semitic racism (in both parties it probably reflects the fact that society as a whole has a problem) but the MSM chose in the main to ignore the Tory issues. Boris was able to send a single message on a single subject so with a FPTP system he was able to generate support with a more direct message than Corbyn. Obviously a lot of people like him (he's a good actor and performer, some like his oratory style, I find the way he uses short bursts rather irritating, I prefer a more continuous presentation) I hope he doesn't let them down like he did the DUP, there's often not much substance in what he says. But as you say, as it's a democracy so if that's what people want, so be it. I'm not sure about social media, I say some good labour material but because of the individual targeting we may have seen different messages? I will be interested in how soon Johnson fixes the NHS and starts addressing climate change. Still, let's look on the bright side, I suppose the reaction of markets today will be good for the investment, house prices and pension pots of the liberal elite? And, as a veggie, I don't really care if we sign up to a Trump trade deal for chlorinated chickens :-) But, seriously, as I noted on another post he has to address that he has to deal with having what appears to be pro European and nationalist majorities in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Michael Ixer ● 2019d