Jeremy Corbyn's Speech on Brexit and the Future of Britain

Jeremy Corbyn’s speech at Wakefield on the 10th January, 2019 at the program organized by OE
Electronics. It is among his most recent speeches pertaining to the entrenched matter of Brexit,
which has caught the UK government in a knot and has generated world-wide concern.
The speech begins with the Labour party representative setting the context for the meeting
organized in Wakefield. She alludes to the unprecedented situation faced by the United Kingdom at
this point in their political history. The United Kingdom has been member of the European Union,
and is now faced with a public mandate against being a member of this very union. The ruling party,
which has brought about the state of affairs is unable to chart a way forward. It is in this context that
she hails the Labour party led by Jeremy Corbyn as having a robust and well thought out plan in
carrying out Brexit. In this manner she invites the leader of the Labour party Jeremy Corbyn to
speak a few words to the gathering.
Jeremy Corbyn takes the dais and greets everybody present in audience. He thanks OE
electronics for having organized this event and proceeds immediately into talking about the urgent
matter at hand. He begins the discussion buy noting that it has been two and half years since Brexit
came upon the horizon as as the future course of British politics, and that for these two and a half
years the ruling dispensation has only ignored the life and aspirations of people across Britain,
particularly in places such as Yorkshire which have, as he goes on to say, fallen off of the radar of
industrialization. He notes that poverty, homelessness, and employment have only increased during
the last many years under the Tory rule, and that wages have still remained at the level of stagnation
which puts them at half of what they were 10 years ago. Thus, he argues that the working people are
facing challenges which are not of their own making. In seeking an alternative, he says,
“Uncertainty is putting people’s jobs and livelihoods at risk. And if a general election cannot be
secured, and we’ll try, then we will keep all options on the table, including the option of
campaigning for a public vote. But an election must be the priority.” (Guardian News, 2018)
He makes a digression to appreciate the coverage which the journalist Richard Bergen gave
to the Labour party’s Brexit campaign in the parliament. Not only was that campaign a huge

success, and he congratulates Keir Stammer for having achieved that, but its coverage was such that
it put the Conservative party on their heels.
He goes on explain this state of affairs by alluding to to the interests of the Conservative
party, which have always been allied to elite sections of British society in furthering their interests.
Corbyn notes that the conservative party has resorted to its long standing strategy of dividing the
people among themselves. In fact, the extent of this govetnment's failures is such, he says, that both
the segments of population - those in support of Leave and those in support of Remain - have united
in their displeasure at the government. With respect to the shrewdess of the Coservative party, he
points out how it has consistently sought for deregulation ever since it came to power, and how this
only stands to benefit mega American corporations and their handful of agents in the business class.
For example, he explains how the Conservative government has for a long time been reducing the
budget for NHS, and thereby compromising the health of practically all the communities depending
on it. He also notes how this is true for the wider community based entitlements. At this point, he
also appreciates the serious effort put in by the Yorkshire community local government despite the
shortage of funds. He is making a case for wider support for the Labour motion against the
Conservative party when its Brexit deal fails, in which scenario he offers a more viable alternative
to Brexit compared to the Conservative party’s. He is of the opinion that what Britain needs most at
the moment is to keep their European allies on board despite Brexit, and reinvent their local
economy without resorting to the coming of big money from America. This can be done, he says,
through encouragement given to locally sustained hi-tech industries which will not create more jobs
for those in Britain, but also create wealth and maintain good standards of living. He particularly
addresses the communities which were held back from development by successive governments,
which can mean both Labour and Conservative.
Jeremy Corbyn is also mindful of the many EU residents in Britain who voted Remain, and
acknowledges their contribution to enrich British society. He goes on to say that not only their
contributions, but also their concerns and aspirations are something which the Labour party

recognizes and wishes to assure them that they will continue to receive hospitality from Britain as
they have for so long. Assuringly, he tells them, “With Labour, your future here is secure. And I
know many people were appalled at the bigotry and racism that some politicians stoked during the
referendum campaign and are still trying to exploit out of the small number of desperate refugees
risking their lives to cross the English Channel. Let’s never forget that whatever circumstances
people are living in, whether in tents camps or trying to survive on dangerous dinghies, everyone is
a human being and we must reach out the hand of humanity in all circumstances.” (Guardian News,
2018) He then goes on to speak about the Britons who have seen worsening standards of living in
the last decades, owing in part both to de-industrialization as well as to bad government policy. He
appeals to the pride and moral generosity and temperamental openness of the British, who do not
want to live in a heavily regulated and controlled society of declining standards. He says, “I
understand that many of them wanted to send the politicians a message in the referendum and I hear
them. Labour is the party of the working class and we’ll stand up for all communities all across the
UK.” (Guardian News, 2018) And he argues that the Labour party’s plan – charted by the Home
Affairs department of the Labour party, has the ability to avert this disaster caused by the
Conservative government over the many years.
Corbyn’s plan is based on the protection of rights and creation of jobs. He calls this plan that
requiring a customs union with the rest of the EU. What would such a union do? He goes on to
explain, “...a new customs union and a radical Labour government with an active industrial strategy
will allow a renaissance in our manufacturing sector, which will create good, secure jobs, and help
restore pride and prosperity to parts of our country that have been ignored for far too long, that have
seen no investment for decades.” (Guardian News, 2018) In this way, Corbyn seeks to reintegrate
with the market to have greater economic activity in Britain. But at the same time, he also calls for
having a strong Labour government at the center which will fight for the rights of the workers and
consumers and ensure that standards of living do not fall. This, he ensures, will give more control to
people over their lives.