So what to make of the "phenomenon" across the "pond" where the British Labour Party elected Jeremy Corbyn as its new leader and what does it mean?
Before getting to these questions, the next British election after which a new prime minister is selected isn't until 2020, unless there's a vote of no confidence with the current government which would bring an earlier election.
Also with British elections, the new prime minister isn't elected directly by the people. They vote for a candidate representing their district in parliamentary elections. After these elections the party with the most seats-usually the Tory's or Labour- selects its party leader as the new prime minister. And that possibility, Jeremy Corbyn as the Labour Party leader taking the helm as prime minister is the earth shaking event occurring in British politics.
Let's start from the beginning as it were. Fifteen Labour Party MP's-members of Parliament-nominated Jeremy Corbyn to run for the Labour party leadership "to bring a broader range of candidates and create a more vigorous debate". They didn't necessarily support him and never believed he a chance to win.
Nonetheless party members-people could pay a little more than 3pounds and could join the party-voted for Corbyn with almost 60% of the vote.
What occurred in those months prior to the election was thousands of party members responded enthusiastically to Corbyn's policy ideas, some of which I'll list in no particular order:
Higher taxes on the rich
Cap executive pay
Re-nationalize the railroads and all the energy sectors
Support for the labour unions
Remove austerity policies on the backs of the people
Oppose cuts to services and welfare
Impose rent controls to counter act gentrification that forces out long time residents
Get out of NATO and the EU
Scrap "Trident", the British nuclear deterrent
Favor nuclear disarmament generally
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