Politics students meet Jeremy Corbyn

Written by Politics student, Adam Higgins

Six Government & Politics students were at Garston Urban Village Hall to hear Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, deliver a speech in support of Metro Mayor candidate for the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram.

Following the talk, students were able to meet and greet the leader of the opposition to ask him questions regarding party policy, and even to ask for a College visit!

Although Mr Corbyn was the talking point of the intimate event, the day was centred around Steve Rotheram’s campaign to become the Liverpool City Region’s first Metro Mayor, following a government deal aiming to devolve powers from Whitehall to local regions, particularly in the North.

The Liverpool City Region refers to the economic and political area of Merseyside, affecting the boroughs of Liverpool, Wirral, Halton, Knowsley, Sefton and St. Helens.

Mr Rotheram was the first to speak in Garston, setting out his plans for a Metro Mayor administration and outlining his commitment to bringing greater prosperity to an area which many people believe is neglected in the government’s plans.

Mr Rotheram, the current Labour MP for Walton, said: “I want to be the person that’s there to shape the future of the six districts of the Liverpool City Region.”

It was then the turn of Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who was welcomed with a vociferous round of applause when taking the microphone.

The first ever Labour leader to win back-to-back leadership elections, Mr Corbyn re-iterated the words of Mr Rotheram and his campaign for Metro Mayor, before delivering his thoughts on the nation’s current state and his disapproval for the controversial administration of President Donald Trump across the Atlantic.

The event was not drowned in negativity, however, as Corbyn later visited each table within the hall to take pictures and to speak with avid Labour supporters, including one of the College’s Politics students, Ellen Beattie.

Ellen said: “I believe in what he stands for and I’ll be voting for him in the next General Election.”

Steve Rotheram will be running for Metro Mayor against Tony Caldeira (Conservative), Carl Cashman (Liberal Democrats), and Tom Crone (Green Party) in an election on 4^th May of this year and the mandate of the victor will last until 2020 to coincide with the next General Election.