Jeremy Corbyn placed his party on permanent campaign mode with a national tour beginning in Cornwall.Choosing Conservative-held seats across England and Wales, and SNP seats in Scotland, the Labour party planned a series of campaigning events to prepare for the next election, visiting 47 marginal seats, and 50 constituencies in total.
Corbyn wanted to take a “message of hope to marginal seats” and by targeting Tory-held seats, rather than those with Labour MPs, focus on achieving a parliamentary majority. Almost all the seats, apart from two in Scotland, are held by other parties where the sitting MPs’ majorities were significantly cut in the general election.
Sean said: “He seemed to be genuinely enjoying it, despite the punishing schedule. Corbyn gives the appearance at best of a man whose time has come. Some of that comes because he and his team believe the arguments have swung in their favour – that a consensus there has been on certain economic policies between the main parties has ended, and a more leftwing approach will win support – not just from Labour supporters.”
West by south-west
Camborne and Redruth was a tight result in the general election, with Labour trailing the Conservative party by fewer than 1,600 votes.
- Corbyn talks to supporters at the end of a rally at Heartlands.
- Corbyn at a Labour meeting in Filton, Bristol.
Lancashire to Wales
There were significant gains for Labour at the general election in Lancashire. Corbyn and his team went to Bolton, Rossendale, Pendle, Morecambe, Blackpool and Southport, and across into Wales to visit the Aberconwy constituency.
- Corbyn takes a break for lunch at Keswick Museum on 16 August.
The Hope Centre gives out packed lunches to children in the area during the school holidays. Any child turning up is given one, not just children who normally get free school meals. They also run a food bank, where locals pay in £2.50 a week.
- Corbyn visits the Hope centre in Bolton, and, below, gives interviews after a visit to Stanley’s youth and community centre in Morecambe.
- Corbyn signs a placard at a beach rally in Morecambe.
- The Junction Labour Club in Llandudno, and some note-taking.
Glasgow to the Hebrides
Corbyn embarked on a five-day tour of Scotland, which included a visit to the Western Isles, learning to weave at the Harris tweed factory and visiting the Callanish Stones. Visiting Coatbridge, Rutherglen & Hamilton West, Motherwell, and Kirkcaldy to meet the young and old, Corbyn then returned to Glasgow North to speak at the University Union, and managed to fit in a talk at a fringe festival event in Edinburgh.
- Corbyn sits with some of his team at a cafe in Glasgow city centre. Political adviser Tommy Kane is leaning over, while the camera catches the eye of Seumas Milne, Labour’s director of strategy and communications.
- Corbyn addressing a rally at the Drygate Brewery in Glasgow.
Corbyn flew from Glasgow to the Western Isles for a rally, and he then visited the Callanish stones in Lewis. The remote Hebrides seat was held by the SNP by just 1,000 votes in the general election.
- Corbyn met people in Kirkcaldy on 26 August, and spoke at Kittys nightclub later.
Glasgow North is another marginal seat, won by the SNP’s Patrick Grady, with a majority of 1,060 over Scottish Labour.
- Corbyn and about to go on stage to address a rally at the Glasgow University Union – at their Festival of Socialism.
- Corbyn does an event at the Edinburgh festival fringe.
Corbyn to the capital
The final stops on the tour were in Northampton, Loughborough and Corby, where he visited the Pen Green Centre, one of the first surestart centres in the country.
Finally back in London, Sean photographed Corbyn catching up paperwork at his offices in Westminster on 13 September.
- Jeremy Corbyn takes a break from a meeting at his offices in Wesminster.