US Democrat hotshot Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn have taken to social media to talk about their “wide-reaching” phone call, prompting much excitement among British and American socialists.
Could this meeting of progressive minds be the start of a beautiful new political love-in to take the US-UK “special relation” to the next level?
Corbyn revealed on Sunday evening that he had spoken to Ocasio-Cortez, a newly-elected Democrat in the US Congress, who is commonly referred to as AOC. The Labour leader said that it had been “great” to exchange views with the young US politician, who, like he, is also a self-confessed democratic socialist.
He committed to creating a new world with AOC, saying: “Let’s build a movement across borders to take on the billionaires, polluters and migrant baiters, and support a happier, freer and cleaner planet.”
The New York congresswoman who is causing a stir on the US political stage since being elected at the beginning of this year, claimed that it had been an “honour” to chat to the Labour leader and outline their shared hope for both nations and the wider world.
Ocasio-Cortez tweeted: “...honored to share a great hope in the peace, prosperity, + justice that everyday people can create when we uplift one another across class, race, + identity both at home & abroad.”
The meeting of the two has prompted a deluge of responses on social media, with many, including prominent teenage Corbynista Hasan Patel, speculating on when they will meet face-to-face.
Others suggested a US-UK alliance between progressives should be welcomed.
However not everyone welcomed the news, with some warning Ocasio-Cortez that Corbyn was to be treated with caution when it came to the issue of anti-Semitism. The Democrat responded to the warnings by insisting her team would be “reaching out” to the Labour leader on the matter.
Some political commentators have drawn comparisons between US democratic progressives led by Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders and UK Labour Party progressives led by Jeremy Corbyn.
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
Subscribe to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media won’t tell you.