Stockholm Syndrome

You do have to admit it, the beastly George Galloway can be very perceptive and funny. I have just heard his take on the absolutely lamentable speech by Jeremy Corbyn this morning - in case you missed it you'll find edited highlights here: Jezza Loves Europe . Galloway descibed Corbyn as a hostage in full Stockholm Syndrome mode. Spot on.

Stockholm syndrome, or capture-bonding, is a psychological phenomenon described in 1973 in which hostages express empathy and sympathy and have positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and identifying with the captors.

Galloway also went on to make some nicely indelicate remarks scotching the notion that we need 'Johnny foreigner' to help us achieve clean beaches and other environmental positives. Cracking stuff. I do love it when poilitical debate gets edgy.

Corbyn's line is depressingly Cameroon in its Pollyanna optimism. He acknowledges faults in the EU (too bloody right we all shout) but believes that by staying in we can influence it to change. Well how's that gone for the last forty years Jez? Even more crackers, he believes that the answer to migration of EU nationals to the UK is best addressed by universal minimum wage legislation throughout the EU. Seriously he actually said that. International Collectivism is alive and well. There are strong reasons for arguing in favour of staying in the EU but we didn't hear any of them from Labour's pet hobbit this morning.

Galloway also referred to Tony Benn's notion - you're not living in a democracy if you can't change the person making the laws. On which topic there will be more from me later.