The_Nation_October_9_2017

October 9, 2017 The Nation. 11

terrain on which British politics is now being fought

is radically different thanks to Corbyn’s leadership and

the policies he set out. There is a different idea of the

progressive things that are possible and the regressive

measures that are no longer tolerable. A clear left alter-

native has been not only presented but found popular.

This has had two main consequences.

First, the Conservative government, fearing an as-

sault from its left, has had to make important conces-

sions regarding key pillars of its policies. Within a week

of the vote, the Tories all but conceded that austerity

had run its course. Recently, they declared an end to the

1 percent pay cap for public-sector workers. They have

also signaled that they may back down on education

cuts. Of course, none of these promises should be taken

at face value; to ensure that the Tories deliver, pressure

will have to be maintained.

Which brings us to the second point: that the return of

these alternatives to the public square, along with the elec-

toral proof that they’re popular, has emboldened many to

keep fighting. Prison officers and firefighters have already

rejected the government’s enhanced post-pay-cap offer.

Meanwhile, the Tories lost a parliamentary vote to main-

tain the freeze on health workers’ pay and to impose a rise

in tuition fees. A poll shows that more than half of the

public thinks the pay cap is unjustified, and more of them

credit Corbyn for the change in policy than May.

Labour didn’t win the election, but it did win the argu-

ment. And while winning both would have been prefer-

able, Labour’s ability to shift the frame of the debate will

make a concrete difference in the lives of many and lay

the foundations for more progressive interventions in the

future. Corbyn’s Labour Party still lacks power, but it has

gained powerfully in influence. Q

AP PHOTO

The terrain

on which British

politics is now

being fought

is radically

different thanks

to Corbyn’s

leadership and

the policies

he set out.

Trail of Tears

SNAPSHOT / DAR YASIN

Rohingya Muslims enter Bangladesh after

fleeing the massacres in Myanmar. More than

400,000 people have crossed the border

since the killing began.

Calvin

Trillin

Deadline

Poet

NO WALL?

From what has transpired in deals made this fall,

It’s possible that we’ll have no wall at all.

Trump’s backers are worried. They’d hate to resign

Themselves to not having a Maginot Line.