What is this blog?
WeBackCorbyn is a growing blog by people from all walks of life who write to share why they back Jeremy Corbyn as Labour Leader. It is intended to build a picture of who some of those people are and the reasons they feel Corbyn and his politics represent them.
WeBackCorbyn is what you might call grassroots: it is a spontaneous initiative and has no intervention from any political group, movement or PR organisation. It is being born out of frustration with what feels like a narrow and skewed representation, on the media, online and consequently in people’s minds, about the politics of a nation. Lots of people are commenting on Corbyn- far more than any other politician it sometimes seems, despite these interesting times for all parties. The commentary that we feel is missing (we being the people who contribute here) is that of people living ordinary lives, who would vote for Labour in a General Election with Corbyn as leader- those who support him as Labour leader based on their own needs or what they think the country needs, and those who believe that his democratic selection as party leader should be upheld.
Who is writing here?
The people who will be contributing here are people who have seen a call out online, or read this blog, and feel strongly enough to share their reasons for being a Corbyn supporter. Reasons including the work they do, their life circumstances, family, hopes for the country, fears for the country….anything that is relevant to them. I will ask them to share if they have any affiliation with a party or movement that would be useful to know- I want to be open and real about who we all are, in case readers imagine that all Corbyn supporters are hard left activists. Some of us are, many more of us aren’t; those who are will say so.
I’ll be asking for contributions from anyone in the broad left-wing groups on Facebook to which I belong, where people express support for Corbyn amongst other opinions. I’m in some women’s groups, which may skew the balance towards more women contributing to start with. Anyone reading this is very welcome to make contact and contribute an entry- some already have. So, the short answer would be anyone, regardless of background, who feels like they want to add their story.
Why this blog?
In one Facebook group I’m in, there has been fierce discussion of Corbyn, between people who are horrified at the thought of another Conservative government in the context of a Britain exited from Europe; people who are sceptical of Corbyn; people who are Green Party committed; people who are bemused by what seems like a media onslaught against the Labour leader- for many the first Labour leader they feel really represents them. That discussion, as a private response to articles and blogs that have been shared there, is what prompted me to create this public space for supporters stories.
Some online and media representations of Corbyn’s supporters seems to suggest that we are a narrow set. One such piece shared recently in that Facebook group drew responses from social workers, NHS workers, people from minority ethnic groups, people from working class backgrounds, people who have seen first hand the diversity at rallies, all puzzled at the strange, unrelatable picture that it painted.
Meanwhile in the comment section on that original piece, someone from Newsweek had asked the writer if they could make contact. I in my turn wondered at this schism. Why would that piece get airtime with a powerful media outlet, when our contrary experiences go unrepresented?
This blog is an attempt at making this alternative picture, the one that so many of us see, widely availably, to interested people, public and press. I hope it will be useful- even just for those of us who feel we might be the only ones to discover that we are far from it!
Who runs the blog?
My name is Anna, I’m 39, I grew up in Tyneside and I currently live in Ireland. My family all live and work in the UK. I am not a member of any party, I don’t belong to any pressure group, I am disabled and don’t work as a result. I am caucasian and identify as straight. I volunteer this info as I have asked people submitting posts to do the same if they are comfortable t0, just to give a demographic sense of who we are. Perhaps more important is who I am NOT- not a paid or voluntary online campaigner for any group. Just another person who feels inspired- or compelled- by current circumstances to get involved.
Comments and Contributions
If you are reading this and want to contribute, please use the wordpress contact button or search for WeBackCorbyn on Facebook. Let me know the first name you wish to be published under- your own or a pseudonym is fine. *If you submit via the contact form, please check your spam mail for my reply if you don’t see it, I don’t like to publish without making contact*
I’m new to blogging, I have limited access to a computer and rubbish internet! Just the woman for the job!
I will only edit lightly for clarity and contributors will have control of their content. I will moderate comments and remove anything personal or constituting hate speech, if anyone sees fit to attempt that! I hope you learn something by reading the eloquent and revealing entries here- I certainly have. If you like it, share it!
That’s all! Thanks for reading, considering and sharing.
#WeBackCorbyn
WeBackCorbyn 
I don’t back Corbyn! His half-hearted so called support for Remain has jeopardised the Northern Ireland Peace Process. The EU has been good to gays and lesbians and women in calling their governments to account and has helped us to win social justice. Corbyn voted 500 times against his party in and now wants us to support him. Hypocrite.
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Thanks for your thoughts Mary. If you are interested in who contributors to the site are so far, and why they do back Corbyn, please have a browse.
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Hello
I’m backing Corbyn , to save democracy, so Murdoch doesn’t own both sides of the house
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Hi Adam, thanks for your input, I feel very similar. If you would like to expand on that anytime, and add a bit about who you are, we’d be glad to add your story- just use the contact form. No worries if not. Keep reading and sharing!
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I have always voted Labour but became so tired of the fact that there was little to differentiate the Labour from the Tory parties that I had intended to only spoil papers in future. However, since Jeremy Corbyn became leader my faith in the party has rekindled as has my hope that our society can become about co-operation not corporations, about generosity not greed, about decency not degradation, so much so that I have now joined the party and will be attending my first meeting this week.
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Hello V., congrats on getting politically involved again! If you’d like to say more about yourself and your reasons for supporting Corbyn’s Labour anytime, you can write to us using the contact form. All the best
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I would always vote Labour but under Blair I felt cheated. Corbyn’s policies are to me core Labour values. He is a principled man who expresses himself with intelligence which in the Remain campaign some have described as luke warm. For me it was reasoned, balanced and didn’t treat the electorate like they were fools. I think he has an integrity and a passion that people are instinctively drawn to. No politician has ever been met with such virulent attacks from the opposition, the media and his own parliament. The grace and composure under fire he has exhibited is what I want in the leader of my party and the leader of my country. I trust this man and I believe in his policies and I honestly can’t remember ever saying that about a politician.
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Thanks for your thoughts Sara. If you would like to submit your comment as a post to the blog, you can use the Contact page, and just add a little about yourself. If not, thanks for commenting, and don’t forget to share the blog.
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