Former Advisor To Ed Balls Has A Brilliant Exchange With A Jeremy Corbyn Supporter

Karim Palant wrote:Very much enjoyed being telephone canvassed by Jeremy Corbyn's campaign yesterday evening.

Sadly I wasn't able to write it down or record it but here is my recollection:

Caller: Hi I am calling from Jeremy Corbyn's leadership campaign have you got a moment to speak.
Me: Oh yes.
Caller: Great. Have you made up your mind how you are going to vote in the Labour leadership election.
Me: No, not yet.
Caller: Oh. And why is that?
Me: Well... I like some of what Jeremy is saying. And I voted for him last time [a little white lie...] But I am very worried about the polls.
Caller: Yes I think Jeremy hasn't really had a chance to lead though.
Me: Sure, but what is his plan to turn things around in the polls.
Caller: Well there is a populist mood out there at the moment as we saw with Brexit and with Trump and the SNP and Jeremy is able to tap in to that.
Me: Really?!
Caller: Yes
Me: Trump?
Caller: Well in the sense that there's an anti-establishment mood and he is anti-establishment.
Me: Oh. But what kinds of things is he going to say to appeal to this mood? What's his approach to these people going to be?
Caller: Well he is anti-austerity.
Me: So he's not going to say stuff like Trump then?
Caller: Oh no goodness I didn't mean that he was actually like Trump!
Me: Sure sure. But what is he for then?
Caller: He is anti-austerity and...
Me: Yes that is true. But what is he for?
Caller: Well austerity is causing a lot of anger and is hitting people's wages and incomes and housing and he will stand up for them.
Me: Is being anti-austerity a new thing.
Caller: No he has always been anti austerity.
Me: Oh. It doesn't seem to be working. But also hasn't the Labour Party always been anti-austerity?
Caller: No Jeremy has changed that
Me: But didn't Gordon Brown in 2009 bring all the G20 leaders together and commit them all to a growth plan to get us out of the financial crisis rather than to all cut back. I thought Labour had been anti-austerity since 2009?
Caller: Well I don't remember that, but Ed Balls.
Me: What about Ed Balls?
Caller: Well he was arguing for cuts
Me: Isn't that what john Mcdonnell is arguing for?
Caller: No
Me: But hasn't john mcdonnell said he wants to have the same fiscal rule as Ed Balls?
Caller: I'm not sure but...
Me: I think they have both said that they want to eliminate the current budget deficit but leave space for borrowing for capital?
Caller: Yes but there is a much bigger emphasis on investment, john mcdonnell wants to invest
Me: What in?
Caller: Well in growing the economy
Me: Ok.. so by?
Caller: Well housing for a start - social housing not just so called 'affordable' housing.
Me: Ok. Has he got a target for how many?
Caller: Oh I don't know good question just let me have a look.
Me: Say 200,000 or so?
Caller: I... um...
Me: I only ask because it was in the 2015 manifesto you see so i'm trying to work out whether this is anything different...
Caller: Oh right. Well I think there's obviously more areas. Is there anything else you're worried about?
Me: Oh that's not a problem. Yes there was one other thing. I am Jewish you see, and I am very worried about all of this anti-semitism.
Caller: Yes. Jeremy obviously is against any form of discrimination.
Me: Well yes, I would expect that. But what is his plan to deal with the issue as a whole?
Caller: Well obviously Jeremy condemns anything like that.
Me: Ok.
Caller: Is there anything else?
Me: (arriving at the pub) No thanks that was very helpful.
Caller: Do you know when your nomination meeting is?
Me: Yes, thanks, bye