Corbyn’s "Political Earthquake": “Don’t Take What You’re Given.”

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn used his first party conference speech to urge the British public to stand “against justice” as part of a “kinder politics.”

Having thanked his rivals in this summer’s Labour leadership race, Corbyn referred to his rise to the party’s helm as the “political earthquake” that woke up Britain.  He announced his appreciation of the “courage and dignity” of former leader Ed Miliband, but pointed out that he’d won the party leadership with a “large mandate: a mandate for change.”

Amid reports of splits within the shadow cabinet at the party’s conference, he signalled the direction of his labour party: “Our common project must be to embrace the emergence of a Modern Left movement and harness it.” Having explained that he did want to scrap Trident, he explained “I want to listen to people”, and added that his successful campaign showed “The party at its best: democratic, inclusive, and growing.”

Members of Corbyn's Shadow Cabinet Watch His Speech. Photo Credits: Telegraph.

    

In response to the Conservative Party’s recent labelling of his policies as a “threat to national security”, Corbyn questioned the government’s policies on tenants, youths, self-employment and stagnating wages. He repeated the mantra: “Where’s the security?”

But the Conservatives weren't alone in Corbyn’s backlash, with the labour leader also telling off the “media commentariat” for speculating. Joking about a false report that he supported a meteor strike that would “wipe out humanity”, he said: “Sorry media commentariat, this is where real people debate real issues.”

Corbyn appeals for "Kinder Politics." Photo Credits: Independent.

The Labour MP for Islington further emphasised that becoming party leader doesn't change his role as an active member of parliament. “I’m not going to stop standing up on those issues [of human rights] and being that activist,” he said.

Yet the most passionate part of Corbyn's first speech came when he called upon Labour and the rest of Britain to “put the people’s values back into politics.” Causing impromptu applause and standing ovation, Corbyn stated: “the British people never have to take what they’re given.”