Corbyn’s power play: the five big ideas

1/ Nationalisation: Taking industries into public ownership has long been a key policy for Corbyn. The idea has decisive public support too. A YouGov poll found that 60% of people support nationalising railways and 59% want the same for water companies (in both cases only 25% oppose). Corbyn has promised that a Labour government would do both.

2/ Spending: A Labour government would also raise some taxes and increase public spending. Once again, this has wide support. According to 2017 figures, 60% of people support tax increases (in order to boost spending on the NHS, education and social benefits). Likewise, 65% of Britons told YouGov they would “rather the government spends more on public services even if it means higher tax.”

3/ Europe: Yesterday, Labour members backed a motion declaring that Labour must campaign for a second referendum if two things happen. One: Theresa May’s Brexit plan is voted down by Parliament. Two: a general election is not called following this defeat. Corbyn himself is lukewarm about a second referendum, but polling suggests that it could win Labour extra support.

4/ Attacking big business: On Monday, Corbyn’s right-hand man, John McDonnell, slammed corporations for avoiding taxes and pledged to end “vast executive salaries”. This chimes with public opinion. In a 2015 poll, 74% of people agreed that “most of the biggest businesses in the world have dodged taxes, damaged the environment or bought special favours from politicians.” Only 29% thought that “what is good for business is usually good for the rest of society.”

5/ Empowering workers: A policy from this year’s conference is to force UK companies to give 10% of their shares to workers. John McDonnell claims the move will boost pay and incentivise staff. Others have slammed it as a draconian tax on business which would hamper growth. Either way, polls found that 54% of the public support the idea (including a majority of Tory voters).

With this in mind, would Jeremy Corbyn be a good prime minister?

Jez he can?

No, some say. It is easy to pander to public opinion when you are not in power. Things change when you are in office, and Corbyn is not equipped to make the hard decisions that statesmanship requires. Stained by the anti-Semitism row; mistrusted on national security; and pushing economic ideas from the past — he is not prime minister material.

Nonsense, others respond. Corbyn is principled and hard working — qualities that many self-serving MPs lack. Furthermore, after years of austerity and shambolic leadership, Britain faces a crippling decline in living standards and a bleak future for the young and old. We need fresh revolutionary thinking. We need Jeremy Corbyn.