The 'New' Politics

I heard that Jeremy Corbyn was in Scotland yesterday to promote his new brand of politics, but then I read somewhere that he was meeting leading Labour councillors and trade union activists and my heart sank.

Because these are the very people who represent the old politics - the dreary municipal socialism believed by some during the nineties and 'noughties' - during which time the Labour movement promised the moon and the stars, but failed miserably to deliver on its commitment to equal pay.

So it comes as no surprise to me that the voters seem able to see through this nonsense and the latest YouGov survey confirms that Jeremy Corbyn is the poorest ratings of opposition leader - ever.

YouGov's survey gave Mr Corbyn a -8 approval rating which compares to a +26 for Ed Miliband after he became Labour leader in 2010. 

Jeremy Corbyn also scored lower than Michael Foot (Labour) and former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith, who both got a zero (0) approval rating when they took the reins of their parties.

Peter Kellner, president of YouGov gave a bleak assessment of Mr Corbyn's standing in the opinion polls with the following comments:

 "Most Opposition leaders start with voters giving them the benefit of the doubt. Few are giving Mr Corbyn that."

"The poll also indicated that a majority of the public (71%) think Labour need to make "major changes" to its policies and beliefs in order to be electable again. 

"Almost three in five voters (58%) also said they agreed the party had "seriously lost touch with working people". 

Ouch, that has to hurt, but it probably won't because, in my experience, politics for people like Jeremy Corbyn requires an almost messianic, religious belief - they are interested in only their own views, not those of the wider public.