Hypocrisy is the lifeblood of corporate media. This was evidenced yesterday when the Daily Mail ran a series of articles blasting the BBC’s gender pay gap.
Two days previously, they were complaining that “male TV heroes” were “being zapped” from our screens after Jodie Whittaker was named as the new Dr Who.
Hypocrisy is also the driving force behind an increasingly desperate Conservative Party, who, having suffered big losses in last month’s general election, are reaching for anything to attack Corbyn.
One issue which has been picked up in recent days is the fake news story that Corbyn somehow betrayed students because he refuses to guarantee that student debt would be wiped clean. The implication is that, pre-election, Corbyn made such a promise, when all the evidence says that he did not.
This has not stopped the story being picked up by the BBC, the Independent, the Sun, the Telegraph, the Express – the usual motley assortment of right wing and liberal rags.
But the story was also picked up by Theresa May in parliament today, where she lambasted Corbyn for alleged broken promises. She even went on to suggest that he should apologise to students.
The level of hypocrisy here blasts the Daily Mail right out of the water.
Just yesterday the Tories’ plans to systematically shaft everybody who is 47 or younger by bringing forward the date, from 2044 to 2037, on which the retirement age will be raised to 68, finally came to fruition!
This move will immediately affect everyone born between 6 April 1970 and 5 April 1978, who under previous legislation had been due to retire at 67. More than six million people fall into this category.
But the overall number affected by the increase is closer to 34million.
Little wonder that Debbie Abrahams, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, called the announcement “an astonishing continuation of austerity”.
And May expects Corbyn to apologise? It would be funny if it were not so tragic.
Put an end to austerity
The Tories know that another election would need to be held if they are to continue down the road of cuts and privatisation. With such a tenuous majority (made possible by a supply and confidence deal with the DUP), it would be next to impossible to get the most vicious elements of their programme voted through.
Thus, in the coming months, the Tories and their mates in the press will throw everything and anything at Corbyn in the hope that some of it sticks.
But Corbyn’s anti-austerity message inspired millions to vote for Labour during the election, despite their history of betrayal. And Corbyn now looks set to continue to build on his successes by holding mass rallies in 60 Tory held marginals in the coming months.
This is a good strategy. The capitalist media will never give socialist ideas a fair hearing. Better to take them directly to the streets.
If Corbyn continues to campaign on a bold socialist programme, the Tories don’t have a chance.
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