I agree with a lot of what has been written here. Brexit stirred up a lot of repressed anger that had been boiling under the surface due to austerity and neo-liberalism. People could see the unfairness and also because of the internet how other countries had dealt with the banking crisis, e.g. Iceland.

Jeremy Corbyn is speaking for all those who’ve seen that Labour was basically sold out by Blair and his cronies. But his policies go beyond just being left-wing – they introduce a transparency which is breathtaking as well as the idea of political and democratic justice which should be at the heart of any real democracy. I feel that this is a social movement in the making. People are seeing the lies of austerity and Tory government and that an alternative is possible. And that gives hope, empowerment and a new sense of freedom which is for all of us ‘and leaves nobody behind’!

Mike,
I was a war baby so my view is much longer than yours.In the 1950’s and early 60’s I was brought up under succesive Tory Govts led by Churchill, Eden and Macmillan. My dad was a staunch Trade Union member (Allied Furniture Workers Union). But in those days the Tory Party was more patrician and did not seek to “punish” working class familes as they now do. Any downturn in the Economy back then gave rise to “short time working” which caused temporary hardships which eventually improved. Little use was made of credit loans anyway. “You have never had it so good” was Macmillan’s famous statement! Not everyone agreed with that at the time though.
My own political awakening came in 1964 when Harold Wilson won the Election on the electriying phrase ‘we will use the widespread white hot technology ‘ that is available to us to provide a better future. Although Wilson was not what he appeared to be in public he did lead a Labour administration which recognised Trades Union membership as positive. His later cabinets included some brilliant ministers like Tony Crosland and even Tony Benn.
Until Jeremy Corbyn began to talk about a different kind of society, I have never felt so engaged in political debate since Thatcher came along and the Tory Party became the Nasty Party; the enemy of the working class.
So yes , I do believe we are on the cusp of an opportunity to steer politics in a different way ; more engaging and and inclusive which will not return us to a nationalisation programme along those of 1948 but one which protects our basic infrastructure from ownership by private sector companies who will always put profit before public service.

I still wonder what would have happened had Darling and Brown not bailed out the banks. They did so, what have we gained except fuelling even more greed and hypocrisy and helping to make Britain a “low waged” economy with the poorest paying the most. The only good to come out of it was to make the majority of Britain’s working class very angry with the banksters, the corporates, the unfair tax system with it’s one way door and the politicians with their revolving door. I’m not so sure now, given the desperate straits of so many since Osborne took the reins, that we would not now be looking at riots and a revolt of the peasants if not for Corbyn giving that anger some direction and framing a sensible response. The right wing Labour Party, if it had won, should be grateful for the narrow escape. They won’t, however, have another opportunity to escape the wrath of the people they deserted if Corbyn is undermined by them when he is returned as leader for a second time.

“Is it possible to stop the political changes embodied by Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party, or are they part of a social movement that became inevitable with the failure of the New Labour version of neoliberalism?”

With the will of the people, it is, hopefully, possible that Jeremy Corbyn’s proposed political changes, as leader of the Labour Party, cannot be stopped.

It is up to us to stand up and reject, once and for all, ’New Labour’s’. and of course the Tories’ neoliberalism.

We are the people – it is in our hands!