29 September 2015

‎Corbyn gave the worst leader’s speech I have ever heard

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Towards the end of Jeremy Corbyn’s first speech as Labour leader there was one impressive section. It was though a switch had been flipped and his entire manner altered when he came to explain what Labour is supposed to be for. A proper speech could have been built round it if he had opened with such a section and then built on it.

Sadly, for Labour, he did not do this. ‎Instead he opted to give a rambling, incoherent, amateurish speech that was embarrassing to watch.

There’s no point me criticising ‎the economics and the ideas he offered. It wasn’t aimed at me or people like me who believe in markets and competition. But listening to a leader’s speech it is possible to disagree with the content while nonethless admiring the stagecraft and charisma. I saw Blair and Brown give good speeches. William Hague gave great speeches. Donald Dewar could be good, if there were enough jokes, and Alex Salmond in his pre-imperial phase was a powerful speaker. I didn’t agree with Nick Clegg, although on his day he was impressive.

Ah, but Corbyn’s authentic, isn’t he? Perhaps, but if so he’s authentically charmless and, one starts to suspect, not the sharpest tool in the box.

How else can one explain the lack of any mentions of the UK’s deficit, even though he suggests borrowing a lot more at the same time as he warns of global debt bubbles? Debt bubble? Ok, borrow more. Spot a problem?

Worst of all, Corbyn talked as though the election in May had never happened. It was a delusional speech. It was dotty. It was dire. It was the worst speech I have ever seen a leader of a major party give.

Iain Martin is Editor of CapX