Labour Leadership

I normally don't do political on here but here goes ...

First I need to make it clear that this is a personal blog not a company blog so they are my own views.

Secondly, I am an unashamed socialist which is not as unusual in the small business community as you may think.

I have signed up as a Labour supporter as I do support its aims. This means I can vote in the leadership election and also that I am bombarded via email and post with election pitches.

Today I received a "letter from Tom Blenkinsop" my local MP and a man you can talk to any time, as long as there is an election ha ha. The communication essentially urges me to back anyone but Jeremy Corbyn. There are a couple of things in the letter that have confirmed my belief that Jeremy Corbyn is the man to vote for.

1. "Labour can only help the people who need it most when we are in power..". Whilst there is a lot of truth in that a sa statement of fact, how does more austerity help the people who need it most? We are redistributing wealth from poor to rich. Why get elected if it's not what you believe in? That is power for power's sake and sums up the careerist group that my MP represents. I would rather be open and honest and try and change others' opinions than do anything for power.

2. A badly photocopied letter that is faded and makes it almost impossible to read the email address really convinces me that the MP is genuinely concerned about what I think. Try making an effort!! If I was wavering I would probably vote Corbyn purely for that reason.

I think those of us on the left have a genuine opportunity to create an alternative. I am very much in favour of having a genuine choice come election time, even if my preferred choice doesn't win and last election without the minority choice of the Green Party there was no real anti-austerity choice in England (well done Scotland).

As a result I will be voting for Jeremy Corbyn and sincerely hope this is the start of a real movement to oppose austerity and take the Labour Party back for the people its aims represent. I want to live in a society where all who are able to do contribute and those that can't are looked after. I want to part of a society that believes that educating its young for free is the route to future success, that care is for all based on need and not ability to pay, that allows working people rights and dignity at work, that champions the needs and aspirations of ordinary people above those of the rich and powerful.

That's a big dream and a seismic change from the current mainstream politics - but if we don't dream and work for better then we deserve more of the same. It's time for those, like Tom Blenkinsop, to step aside and let us build a better society.