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Amanda Murphy

Dear Jeremy Corbyn...


The whole reason I got back into politics was to make sure that we didn’t get another Ed Miliband. Now unbunch your knickers, Milifans, I’m sure he’s a really lovely guy and I really have nothing against him, he’s remarkably inoffensive, but, honestly, I never knew what he actually stood for. I remember listening to him making a speech and thinking, 'I’m not sure who you’re speaking for right now, and I’m sure you’re speaking for someone, but it’s just not me'

So a couple of days after the election, I joined up.

I watched the first leadership debate when Jeremy Corbyn lined up alongside 3 (or was it four) other people, I remember Liz and Andy, but the other one escapes me,

oh yes, Yvette, Yvonne?

It began with Y…

Anyway, during that debate, I heard words that were honest, kind and authentic, I saw a man who genuinely wanted to make things better, not just for some, but for everyone. At last I was listening to someone saying out loud, what I had been thinking.

The more I read about what Jeremy Corbyn had to say, the more I agreed with him.

Now, I was as cynical as most, so although I was impressed, I wanted to see the whites of his eyes before making my final decision. So I went along to a meeting to hear it from the man himself.

And he made me start thinking.

He made a lot of people start thinking. I have friends now, who I met at Corbyn rallies. People who also had lost faith in the party, but who now had something to believe in once more. People who were also starting to question things.

Why shouldn’t we renationalise the railways?

I’m not a commuter, but I’m shocked whenever I see trains so overcrowded, it resembles what I saw in China just before a national holiday when EVERYONE is on the move. They have an excuse for it, they have over a billion people living there. Why do we have it? Oh yes, the company posted profits in the tens of millions, that’s why?

I was sick of living in a country that applauds a company for posting TENS/HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS IN PROFIT, all the while REFUSING to pay the people CREATING THAT PROFIT, the workers, ENOUGH TO LIVE ON!

As a teacher, I’m horrified at what successive governments have done to the education system. It is just another essential thing that has been sold off to private companies to suck the very life out of it.

Some things in life are PUBLIC services, not private goods to be bought and sold. They are there for the benefit of all, not for the benefit of a few shareholders.

Healthcare, Utilities, Public Transport and Education.

The four pillars of a decent, caring society.

In short, we must dial down the greed.

Since when did this country put the pursuit of profit over doing the right thing?

OK, so I’ve gone off on a tangent, when all I really wanted to say was this.

Dear Jeremy Corbyn,

I won’t blame you at all if you get rid of every single one of those backstabbing cowards who have been dragging your name, my name and the name of the very party they profess to care about, through the mud. But you won’t, because you’re too nice. You believe in giving everyone a fair chance.

I believe everyone should be given a chance to stand by what they have said, publicly.

Those who oppose you have asked us, the membership, to decide YOUR fate –

TWICE.

They have never had to justify their actions to the membership, they have never asked us to decide their fate.

Now that Theresa May wants an election, the membership should decide the fate of every single MP in the party. They have all been talking loudly about how much they respect democracy, I propose that they stop talking and PROVE that they believe in democracy.

Every MP should return to their CLPs and hold public meetings, where they get to explain their points of view and hear the views of their constituents?

If their CLPs fundamentally disagree with the MPs stance, the MP then has the option of putting their personal views aside for the good of their constituents, which is essentially what being a public servant is all about, or if they are unwilling to do so, the CLP should be able to field an alternative candidate who could then challenge them. In this way, finally, the CLP are able to choose the person they believe best represents them. Once a candidate has been chosen, the CLP should then work together to put forward the real vision of the Labour Party.

After all, the fundamental job, the basic idea of an MP is to be the parliamentary representative of that Constituency, advocating for the members of that constituency.

Please could we do this quickly so that we can get on with the simple job of getting rid of the Tories.

Yours sincerely

Amanda

To read more by this author visit Amanda's blog here

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