Two weeks before national elections in the United Kingdom, polls have tightened and the underdog Labour Party trails by single digits. The Guardian attributes the movement to public reaction to the parties "manifestos"; with the Labour Party's plan "scrap tuition fees has proved the most popular policy from its manifesto launch" and the Conservative plan to reduce elder care spending being labelled a "dementia tax."
Speaking behind a podium with the populist slogan, "For the Many Not the Few," Corbyn calls the party platform a "blueprint of what Britain could be." We hear the crowd cheer the call to "scrap tuition fees." Despite the difficulty Labour has had in explaining how it would pay for a beefed up police force, Corbyn leans in, "We make no apology finding new resources to hire 10,000 new police officers and 3,000 new firefighters." The crowd whoops again when Corbyn promises a government takeover of the railroads that will "put passengers first."
He ends with a challenge to May, as the triumphant background music pauses for effect: "I say to her today, in the most polite and friendly way possible, 'Come out of hiding and let's have a debate.'"
If the polls stay this tight, she may have to.
Labour Party Crowd Cheers Ending Tuition Fees
A Labour Party digital ad summarizing its manifesto launch, titled "Unleash This Country's Potential," captures how its leader Jeremey Corbyn is defining his party, and how he is tweaking Prime Minister Theresa May.Speaking behind a podium with the populist slogan, "For the Many Not the Few," Corbyn calls the party platform a "blueprint of what Britain could be." We hear the crowd cheer the call to "scrap tuition fees." Despite the difficulty Labour has had in explaining how it would pay for a beefed up police force, Corbyn leans in, "We make no apology finding new resources to hire 10,000 new police officers and 3,000 new firefighters." The crowd whoops again when Corbyn promises a government takeover of the railroads that will "put passengers first."
Jeremy Corbyn Dares Theresa May to Debate
He holds up the manifesto to prove the "ambitious program" is responsibly "costed": "We're asking the better off and the big corporations to pay a little bit more, and of course, to stop dodging their tax obligations in the first place."He ends with a challenge to May, as the triumphant background music pauses for effect: "I say to her today, in the most polite and friendly way possible, 'Come out of hiding and let's have a debate.'"
If the polls stay this tight, she may have to.