WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?
Letter
Don’t Exaggerate
Dear HIP,
In response to James Prentice’s article New Party, Familiar Faces (HIP 283) which appears to be based on an interview with me, when in fact it was a chance encounter on the street. James and his parents live two doors up from me, I see James all the time. On this occasion I was walking home after grocery shopping. Laden with bags on a bike, I had no idea the brief exchange would form the basis of a printed article, and to be honest, I’m rather surprised as I thought a ‘journalist’ had to ask for consent, or at least tell the person their comments were on record?
Aside from contextualising, let’s do a bit of factchecking. I have indeed been working as a campaign organiser for the Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP since November last year; but I haven’t particularly bragged about it. I haven’t posted on social media, written any articles, updated my Wikipedia or even put it on my LinkedIn. Though I really should as I’m working for a living legend, probably the most important and influential left wing political figure of my lifetime.
Like me, local ‘analyst’ James Prentice loves statistics and opinion polls, therefore it must pain him that literally every poll shows Labour, after only a year, are sinking like a lead balloon.
Starmer is the second most unpopular leader in the world [net approval rating – 44 points, More in Common Poll 8 Sept 2025]. If there were a general election tomorrow, Labour would be wiped out by Reform UK, who now stand to win 35% of the vote, 400 seats in parliament [BMG Poll 1 Sept 2025]. Half of Britons say that Keir Starmer has changed Britain for the worse [IPSOS Poll 23 July 2025]. More people think Corbyn is a better leader than Starmer [YouGov Poll 11 Sept 2025].
I could go on and on, and on. I’m actually tempted to buy a lettuce and call it Keir.
So yes James, I’m stoked that I’m working for my hero, and it’s unbelievably exciting, albeit fraught, setting up a new left-wing party. During our brief street exchange, you accused me of “splitting the vote and letting Reform in”, but that old argument no longer stands, as Labour were already in steep decline even before Your Party launched. Indeed, Your Party has got off to a bumpy start, but the 750,000 supporters who have signed up shows there’s a massive need and excitement for a new left wing party who are doing democracy differently.
Maya Evans
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