• Disrupting Power Since 2015
  • Donate
  • Login
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
  • Login
  • Register
Canary
MEDIA THAT DISRUPTS
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
MANAGE SUBSCRIPTION
SUPPORT
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
Canary
No Result
View All Result

Everything that’s wrong with centrist politics today, in one anti-Corbyn rant

Ed Sykes by Ed Sykes
26 May 2020
in Trending, UK
Reading Time: 4 mins read
168 7
A A
3
Home Trending
326
SHARES
2.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

On 11 May, Jeremy Corbyn challenged Boris Johnson’s controversial coronavirus (Covid-19) speech the day before. In particular, he focused on how the government’s easing of restrictions would disproportionately affect working-class people the most, stressing that it would “make the inequalities in this country even worse”. He also signed a statement calling Johnson’s speech a “thinly veiled declaration of class war”.

I asked Boris Johnson today if he recognised that the #Covid-19 crisis has exposed grotesque levels of inequality within our society, and that yesterday's statement has given carte blanche to many employers to force people back to work. pic.twitter.com/CUY0cEDOiB

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) May 11, 2020

The response to Corbyn’s intervention from one corporate media hack, however, summed up everything that’s wrong with centrist politics today.

WTAF?

Liberal commentator Ian Dunt is notoriously hostile to Corbyn. And he really hoped the veteran peace campaigner would just go away after stepping down as Labour leader. But that didn’t happen. So rather than praising Corbyn’s advocacy for workers’ rights and safety on 11 May, Dunt attacked. Despite Britain now having the highest coronavirus death toll in Europe, it was Corbyn’s leadership that he, perhaps mockingly, called “terrifying and intense”. He even likened Corbyn to a “terrible dream”.

People quickly highlighted the absurdity of Dunt’s hate-filled rant, though:

https://twitter.com/thetwerkinggirl/status/1259879809569689600

He has been asking all the pertinent questions for a long time.https://t.co/7VRU06Rti9

— InsufficientlyPanglossian (@choosymother) May 11, 2020

He was made useless by people like you Mr Dunt and the Blairite MPs who constantly briefed against him. So it’s thanks to you and them that this country has got Johnson. And no I’m not a nutter thank you very much. Just someone who believes in equality, fairness and kindness

— Jack Hawkins (@JackHaw30146651) May 11, 2020

Dunt is an anti-Brexit extremist who was once thoroughly excited about the failed ‘Change UK’ splinter group. He also seems, unsurprisingly, to be a fan of current Labour leader Keir Starmer (one of the centrists who helped to push Corbyn into a Brexit stance that some think played a massive role in Labour’s 2019 election defeat). In short, Dunt is one of those people who claimed to dislike Boris Johnson, but also delighted in seeing liberal wreckers undermine Corbyn’s electoral chances at every turn. His dangerous bubble of centrist extremism – a characteristic all too common in Britain’s mainstream media today – has arguably been a key part of falling trust in the media, while helping to put Johnson in power.

The real “terrible dream”

From the comfort of his liberal bubble, Dunt may think Corbyn was a terrible dream. But the reality is that Corbyn has been a silver lining in a nightmare that’s been unfolding in British politics. Because we’ve seen:

  • A cruel, incompetent government of elitists presiding over the worst coronavirus death toll in Europe.
  • A supposedly public broadcaster which currently seems intent on moonlighting as a government propaganda outlet.
  • A vile media propaganda campaign of lies and smears against Corbyn that helped to put the current government in power in 2019’s nightmare election result.
  • Centrist and pro-Remain fanatics helping to destroy Corbyn’s big electoral advance in 2017 by pushing Labour to a disastrous Brexit policy but still preferring not to back it in the 2019 election.
  • Labour elites opposing party democracy and helping to undermine Corbyn’s movement when it had the power and engagement to win between 2015 and 2017.
  • A current Labour leadership which looks set to sweep the Labour Leaks scandal under the carpet, with the help of the mainstream media.
  • A current Labour leader – who played a key part in undermining Labour’s election hopes – backtracking on progressive policies in the middle of the coronavirus crisis while neutering the role of opposition leader.

How many people would still be alive today if Labour elites hadn’t conspired with right-wingers and corporate media hacks to stop Corbyn winning in 2017?#LabourLeaks https://t.co/8XXXxQfMr3

— Ed Sykes (@OsoSabioUK) May 12, 2020

Never again!

It’s now more important than ever that we don’t let people like Dunt control Britain’s political narrative. Because by resisting democratic progress, he and his corporate media buddies have helped to perpetuate the Tory-led nightmare we’ve been living through for the last decade. They are not allies.

There are two key things progressives need to do right now. We need to loudly hold Starmer to account as he shifts to the right; and we must strengthen Britain’s unions – which are currently a vital asset to British workers. Only together can we put an end to this nightmare.

Featured image via Twitter screengrab – Rachael Swindon

Share130Tweet82
Previous Post

The BBC and Boris Johnson just f**ked over every seaside community in England

Next Post

Obama’s halo is slipping, and that’s a good thing

Next Post
Barack Obama

Obama's halo is slipping, and that's a good thing

Pharmacist Boots looking to recruit hundreds of unpaid Covid-19 testers

Hundreds of workers report employers for furlough fraud

Belly Mujinga

We are vulnerable and scared, say tragic railway worker’s colleagues

Rishi Sunak has avoided talking about an issue with Universal Credit

As the economy descends into chaos the Tories' answer is yet more incompetence

Please login to join discussion
Tony Blair climate denial
News

Activists have just dragged Tony Blair over his rampant climate denialism

by The Canary
13 May 2025
A petition calling for the end to the badger cull just passed 100,000 signatures so will be heading for parliamentary debate
News

The badger cull is set for a parliamentary debate – all thanks to a viral petition

by The Canary
13 May 2025
Israel kills journalist Hassan Eslaih in Gaza hospital strike
Analysis

Israel kills journalist in Gaza hospital bombing, and its media debates whether that’s OK

by Ed Sykes
13 May 2025
Starmer Farage
Analysis

Keir Starmer may as well roll out the red carpet to Nigel Farage at this point

by James Wright
13 May 2025
Newham Council
Long Reads

Labour-led council left a disabled person in temporary accommodation with no wheelchair access for two years

by Hannah Sharland
13 May 2025
  • Contact
  • About & FAQ
  • Get our Daily News Email
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

The Canary
PO Box 71199
LONDON
SE20 9EX

Canary Media Ltd – registered in England. Company registration number 09788095.

For guest posting, contact [email protected]

For other enquiries, contact: [email protected]

The Canary is owned and run by independent journalists and volunteers, NOT offshore billionaires.

You can write for us, or support us by making a regular or one-off donation.

© Canary Media Ltd 2024, all rights reserved | Website by Monster | Hosted by Krystal | Privacy Settings

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion

© 2023 Canary - Worker's co-op.

Before you go, have you seen...?

Tony Blair climate denial
News
The Canary

Activists have just dragged Tony Blair over his rampant climate denialism

A petition calling for the end to the badger cull just passed 100,000 signatures so will be heading for parliamentary debate
News
The Canary

The badger cull is set for a parliamentary debate – all thanks to a viral petition

Israel kills journalist Hassan Eslaih in Gaza hospital strike
Analysis
Ed Sykes

Israel kills journalist in Gaza hospital bombing, and its media debates whether that’s OK

Starmer Farage
Analysis
James Wright

Keir Starmer may as well roll out the red carpet to Nigel Farage at this point

ADVERTISEMENT
Tech
Nathan Spears

How Digital Addictions Are Formed in the Shadow of Large Platforms

Lifestyle
Nathan Spears

Recovery in the Sun: How the Canary Islands are Becoming a Wellness Tourism Hub

Lifestyle
Nathan Spears

Why More People Are Seeking Legal Advice When Separating