Labour leader warns that election must be 'a wake-up call'
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has responded to Donald Trump’s election as US president, describing his approach to ‘the big questions’ as ‘clearly wrong’ and sending solidarity to ‘a nation of migrants, innovators and democrats.’
Here is his full statement:
“Many in Britain and elsewhere will be understandably shocked by Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election, the rhetoric around it and what the election result means for the rest of the world, as well as America.
Trump’s election is an unmistakable rejection of a political establishment and an economic system that simply isn’t working for most people. It is one that has delivered escalating inequality and stagnating or falling living standards for the majority, both in the US and Britain.
This is a rejection of a failed economic consensus and a governing elite that has been seen not to have listened. And the public anger that has propelled Donald Trump to office has been reflected in political upheavals across the world.
But some of Trump’s answers to the big questions facing America, and the divisive rhetoric around them, are clearly wrong.
I have no doubt, however, that the decency and common sense of the American people will prevail, and we send our solidarity to a nation of migrants, innovators and democrats.
After this latest global wake up call, the need for a real alternative to a failed economic and political system could not be clearer.
That alternative must be based on working together, social justice and economic renewal, rather than sowing fear and division. And the solutions we offer have to improve the lives of everyone, not pit one group of people against another.
Americans have made their choice. The urgent necessity is now for us all to work across continents to tackle our common global challenges: to secure peace, take action on climate change and deliver economic prosperity and justice.”
10 Responses to “Jeremy Corbyn: Trump is ‘clearly wrong’ on the big questions”
Craig Mackay
Labour must understand that Trump supporters in the US have a great deal in common with Brexit supporters in the UK. The Brexiteers and the triumphant right-wing media have taken over the political sphere and are using it to impose a worryingly right-wing flavour on what happens next. The left-behinders in the UK will not benefit from a hard Brexit but Labour must reposition itself more clearly to address the concerns of these people who in the past have been strong Labour supporters. Immigration is strong because there are many jobs in the UK that are poorly paid with mediocre working conditions. We have a society that people working full-time with available tax credits can still be in poverty. Our schools produce children badly educated and ill-equipped for the 21st-century. The NHS is under appalling pressure because of lack of staff at least in part because the training places are not available for the large numbers of students that would like to be trained. But above all it is the economy that hurts them and the way that it has been distorted to their disadvantage. Labour must make much more of the reality that a great deal of the unhappiness in the US and in the UK is driven by this inequality and apparent lack of concern by the centre for what is happening in the poorer regions. At present Labour shows little evidence of having got a grip of that. Without it there is little prospect of them doing well in the inevitable election that will be called soon.
Mick
Oh, don’t look like such a wounded guinea pig! Like you, Trump was the eccentric outsider, trust in question, maybe not quite in touch, yet the fan club flocked because the Establishment choice appeared hopeless.
But unlike you, Corby baby, Trump won a proper election! He must have got something right!
‘The Brexiteers and the triumphant right-wing media have taken over the political sphere and are using it to impose a worryingly right-wing flavour on what happens next.’
A touch of the sour grapes from the Left, there. When Obama got in, lefties told right-wingers to calm down and congratulate a convention-breaker who got in, fair and square.
Every big idea Obama had was a PC whitewash and failure. He never had a budget passed by the Senate. He enabled and apologised to America’s enemies while putting friends like Israel in danger by neglecting them. He allowed his own ambassador to be killed by Islamonuts by holding back the guards in Benghazi. He armed Al Qeada. Now he’s out.
Who did you say was dangerous, Left??
Mick
And all that whining, when all the bad things are, above, really came into their own under Labour! Tories just manage the fall-out.
And if Tories are so evil, Labour would still walk it. But they don’t, for being such incompetent, divisive, divided, sleazy, loony fringe failures. Like Obama and his crooked Dems.
LIVE: 'Devastating', 'heartbreaking', 'clearly wrong' – progressives respond to Trump's election | Left Foot Forward
[…] Jeremy Corbyn said that the vote must be a ‘wake-up call’, saying that ‘need for a real alternative to a failed economic and political system could not be clearer.’ But he also insisted that ‘some of Trump’s answers to the big questions facing America, and the divisive rhetoric around them, are clearly wrong.’ […]
GodfreyR
Mmm…
By taking account of the concerns of ordinary American working people Trump wins.
By ignoring the impacts of immigration, etc., on the lives of ordinary British working people, Corbyn remains totally out of touch with no hope of winning.