A guide for the left, liberals and progressives during political debate

The left are generally at a disadvantage when it comes to political narratives and debate and this goes beyond the meaningless 'snowflake' accusation. The corporate media dominate national conversation and offer the largest platforms to right-wing cronies who push their worldview of profit-before-people. Also the left are more likely to be suffering under right-wing policies so desperation and anger can cloud their message. The game needs to be played better with discipline and focus. Don't fall into right-wing traps like their dead cat strategy. And don't be precious about borrowing from them and using their tactics against them.

1st rule of Fight Back Club - Absolutely no infighting or weakness in public
This is what the right do well. During what could've been a messy protracted tory leadership bloodbath was resolved when Andrea Leadsom stepped-down to pave the way for unelected May. A deal was probably done, something they're good at - partly because their participants can be incentivised and placated by money and status. The left need to know when to do deals behind closed doors.

So when Owen Jones or The Guardian or a Labour MP says something you disagree with or is engaged in arguments with their own side calmly tell them to stop public squabbling. Share this article instead.

Use simple catchy slogans and repeat them relentlessly - see Bernie Sanders' populist rhetoric

"It was the banks!" - use colloquial phrases like tax dodgers, fat cats, big business. The tin-pot tories at UKIP have tried to co-opt this and the left have let it happen.

"Fighting for justice are not liberal values, they are human values"


Stop getting distracted by frivolous news - see 'dead cat'

This plays into the psychological phenomenon called Parkinson's law of triviality or "bike-shedding"

On the flip-side, look for political capital in the most frivolous distracting news, especially as this content is more likely goes viral and reach casually-political audiences.

A bit of research and discipline turns the huge Oscar wrong best picture story into an attack on reckless incompetent corporate culture:

@JeSuisFedUp @TheMarkRomano to be clear it was PWC, a financial service co. that screwed up. The type of folks Trump is stacking govt with.

— SFBCA Fishing Club (@SFBCAfishing) 27 February 2017

Stop advancing the careers of professional trolls

Do create or post memes that tell a simple story effectively. People aren't swayed by facts - they are swayed by stories and pictures help. If anyone tells you memes are silly then it's because they have no counter-argument to the actual content - so point this out, call them weak and trying to play the distraction game. They hate that.

Calmly and consistently undermine any opponent by using their own work against them. Remind everyone of these repeatedly whatever the context. Always be ready to screenshots their tweets to save to your armoury.

Corbyn's Labour supporters can win the debate - here's how

The anti-Corbyns would do well to remember the Remainers who descend into hysterics after Brexit. Campaign lies or not, they were only ever going to entrench the Leavers more. Stomping of feet is undignified and divisive after what was a far more honest campaign.

Ok, trying to draw a line under this pointless and distracting waste of time. Labour can finally focus on the issues and make their case - here's how:

Issues

The consensus over Corbyn's speech was generally positive - even from critics. It contained the radical idea of actually investing in infrastructure, a real living wage, rent controls and ending arms sales to medieval human rights abusers like Saudi Arabia:

Many anti-Corbyns can usually be neutralised by asking 'what policy idea of his do you actually disagree with?' It is transparent how Corbyn's opponents prefer  the navel-gazing of Labour's internal soap opera fuelled by media narratives - don't get dragged in. After all even tories acknowledge these - in public at least: 

• More houses need to be built.
• The NHS should not have top-down privatisation.
• Grammar schools are a dunce's idea to improve social mobility
• Tax avoidance needs to be curbed - if you want a reduced deficit and ignore this issue you're avoiding maths. The numbers prove this would go further than looking at benefit fraud
• Austerity has failed - tories finally coming around to what credible economists have been saying repeatedly what seems like forever. Remainers should take comfort that Brexit might finally end the dumb punitive era of elite prescribed economic dogma.

Other right-wing commentators complimentary to Corbyn include

Peter Oborne:

Twitter

A lot of the ammunition used by anti-Corbyns comes from twitter. It appears they spend time waiting for anyone with a Corbyn profile ribbon to swear and they are suddenly branding all of his followers as thugs. This is the same logic as branding 1.6 Billion muslims as terrorists for the actions of a minority. This analogy extends because many terrorists are not true followers of Islam, they are using the religion as a means to an ends. The fake Momentum twitter accounts show how murky the waters of abuse are.

If we're talking about anti-semitism and prejudice it seems few of the standards that Corbyn is held to is levelled at other parties. I've written about tory government sanctioned racism - which needs to be highlighted at every turn. Furthermore a lot of the abuse judged to be Corbyn's fault has actually come from the hard right or been fabricated

Pro-austerity elitists, some who've never worried about Jewish people, are suddenly find they might be useful to push their failed agenda. Jews are calling this out

Blairites again using Jewish people as a political football to smear those who oppose Austerity like Corbyn, NO!!!!! pic.twitter.com/ef93QJfmjH

— Jewish Voice (@J_VoiceUK) June 30, 2016

these are anti-Labour activists. @jessphillips knows. she's using anti-semitism for point scoring. I'm Jewish. stop. https://t.co/HsJnQGo4GC

— Michael Segalov (@MikeSegalov) September 17, 2016

Polls

Wonder if the right are going to mention them anymore?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/new-poll-puts-labour-ahead-of-tories-for-first-time-since-jeremy-corbyn-became-leader-a6937926.html