Labour’s left-wing grassroots are finally on the front foot. With Momentum now backing party conference motions that would see Labour adopt a radical Green New Deal as official party policy, Jeremy Corbyn’s supporters are spearheading a radical new policy agenda to reshape Britain from the bottom up.
The history of Corbynism so far has been of defending the left’s control of the party. In 2015, the journey began with Corbyn’s election as party leader to the surprise of the political establishment. In 2016, his supporters organised to fend off the 'chicken coup' ending with Owen Smith’s failed leadership challenge. In 2017, Momentum members helped cement Corbyn’s authority with a defiant general election result overturning Theresa May’s Parliamentary majority. The political tide has turned within Labour, but much of the party’s plans for government are yet to match the ambitions that drove Corbyn’s rise to power.
In policy terms, members remain ahead of the leadership’s stated positions on key areas such as climate, migration, work, ownership and foreign policy. We can see this in the Labour for a Green New groups sprouting across the country, demonstrating the enthusiasm for radical policy platforms.
