Corbynistas already planning Labour’s victory party as Tory lead narrows again

18 May, 2017 13:42 / Updated 8 years ago

Thousands of Facebook users say they will flock to the Red Lion pub in Westminster the day after the general election to celebrate the victory of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

In anticipation of victory, the left-wing leader’s fans have already set up an event on Facebook, which has seized the interest of thousands of supporters.

The event is being organized by the Grand Marshal Corbyn’s Patriotic Meme Collective – a group which posts pictures in support of Corbyn to encourage young people to vote.

The group has confirmed the event, announcing in its description: “Comrades! Compatriots! Followers of the cause! Come far and wide to join us. We’re having a real Jeremy Corbyn victory party to toast our success!

“As the pub will no doubt be full, bring cans to share, red flags, and any thing like, say, a mobile sound system, so any overspill can become an opportunity.”

It also urged fans to bring the caffeine-mixed Buckfast wine, known for the explosive levels of intoxication it induces.

The attendance list continues to grow despite Labour lagging behind the Tories by 15 points in the most recent poll.

According to an IPSOS Mori poll, published by the Evening Standard, Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party are at 49 percent, while the Labour Party has gained eight points, growing to 34 percent, its highest poll rating so far in its campaign.

The data comes after Labour launched its election manifesto, which included proposals for the renationalization of the railways, scrapping of university tuition fees, more money for the National Health Service (NHS), and tax increases for the richest.

Following the latest poll, the gap between the Tories and Labour seems to have narrowed considerably, considering Corbyn’s party was trailing behind the Conservatives by 23 points when May first announced the snap election at the beginning of last month.

According to the Times, the poll suggested people would rather have Labour care for the NHS, schools and housing, but the Tories win support when it comes to immigration, employment, and the economy.

Many pundits believe Labour will suffer at the ballot box because of Corbyn’s perceived shortcomings as leader.

"Labour shouldn’t get too carried away by the rise they see in the polls," Gideon Skinner, head of political polling at Ipsos MORI, told the Evening Standard.

“The focus on their manifesto may have helped them this week, but on many fundamentals such as leadership the public still puts them a long way behind the Conservatives, and their vote is much softer, with one in six of their supporters considering voting for Theresa May’s party.”