Jeremy Corbyn has promised to “change our country for the better” in an upbeat party political broadcast, launched in the hope of an imminent general election, that fails to mention Brexit.
Labour tabled a motion of no confidence in Theresa May’s government on Tuesday night, after her Brexit deal was defeated overwhelmingly by MPs. The party is deemed unlikely to win the vote, which would trigger a general election in two weeks if no alternative government emerged.
But Labour is keen to keep up the pressure for an election – and move the debate from Brexit, on which Corbyn is under intense pressure from activists to shift his ground, on to austerity, poverty and foreign policy.
Labour strategists said the broadcast, called Our Country, and made by the same team that produced a well-received recent film, Our Town, is deliberately aimed at both remain and leave voters.
It will be broadcast on ITV and BBC1 on Wednesday evening, shortly before MPs at Westminster are expected to vote in the motion of no confidence.
Corbyn has infuriated some of his party’s supporters in recent interviews and speeches by rigidly sticking to Labour’s carefully negotiated policy of pursuing a general election, then keeping all options on the table – including that of a referendum.
He narrates the film himself, highlighting poverty and spending cuts, and insisting: “It doesn’t have to be this way; we have the talent, we have the means, we have the creativity to be so much more.
“They’ll say it can’t be done. They’ll say we can’t afford it. But our country is one of the richest in the world. And we resolve to make a choice. We won’t stand by as our society is divided. Together we can change our country for the better.”
Party strategists say polling is telling them voters increasingly think Britain is “moving in the wrong direction”, whatever they think about Brexit – and they hope to capitalise on that discontent by offering an alternative, whatever the public’s frustrations over Labour’s Brexit stance.
Labour’s election coordinator, Andrew Gwynne, said: “There is no doubt that the surge that saw Labour outpolling all predictions in 2017 is based on strong support for Jeremy Corbyn’s message of hope and radical change. People want an end to personal debt, cuts to services and fear and concern for the future.
“Our broadcast today is part of our campaign to set out our vision of how we will unite our country, rebuild our economy and create a society that works for everyone.”
