Edited by Andrew S. Roe-Crines
Jeremy Corbyn proved to be one of Labour’s most popular and yet one of its most divisive leaders amongst the membership. From his surprise election in 2015, to the subsequent challenges to his leadership, from his appearance at Glastonbury to his position on Europe, Corbyn has been characterised as both a hero and a villain. A conviction politician, determined to do things his way, he was leader of the opposition during one of the most fraught and difficult periods in modern history. And yet, despite opposing a minority government, Corbyn made little headway in uniting his own party and translating the country’s discontent into ballot success.
In this carefully researched collection of essays, Corbyn’s influence on and legacy for the party are assessed. Each chapter focuses on an aspect of his time in office, his approach, his political thought and policy formation in an attempt to posit what constitutes "Corbynism". Chapters assess his leadership style and ambiguity towards leadership competence, his attitude towards anti-Semitism and women in the party as well as his controversial foreign policy position.
1. Introduction Andrew S. Roe-Crines 2. The election and re-election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party Timothy Heppell and Thomas McMeeking 3. Corbyn as a coherent ideology? Bradley Ward and Peter Kerr 4. Is Corbyn a populist? David Jeffery 5. Corbynism as identity politics Harry W. Fletcher 6. An end to market-mania and managerialist madness: Corbyn(ism) and the public sector Peter Dorey 7. Jeremy Corbyn and the dilemmas of leadership Mark Bennister and Ben Worthy 8. The absolute boy vs magic grandpa: Jeremy Corbyn and gender politics Rosalynd Southern and Emily Harmer 9. Who are the Corbynites? Glen O’Hara 10. Corbynism in historical perspective Lise Butler 11. Labour under Corbyn: zigzagging towards Brexit Eunice Goes 12. Corbyn, the constitution and constitutional premiership: breaking Bennism? Steven Daniels 13. Jeremy Corbyn’s foreign policy Mark Garnett and Richard Johnson 14. Corbyn and antisemitism Andrew Barclay 15. Fan wars: Jeremy Corbyn, fans and the "antis" Phoenix C. S. Andrews 16. Reflections on Corbyn’s leadership satisfaction Timothy Heppell and Thomas McMeeking
Andrew S. Roe-Crines is Senior Lecturer in British Politics at the University of Liverpool.