Jeremy Corbyn has wished New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern, a fellow Labour opposition leader, “all the best” in the coming election, after apparently being accosted on the street by a smartphone-wielding fan of Ardern.
A nine-second video clip features the UK politician saying he “looks forward to seeing her elected” before the unidentified New Zealand woman questioning him points out – perhaps unnecessarily – who he is. (“That’s Jeremy Corbyn, Jacinda!”)
The rest goes something like this:
Corbyn: “Jacinda all the best in the election, make sure you do it ...”
Joyful woman: “Woohoo!”
Corbyn: “... for all of us.” [Raises eyebrows].
Joyful woman: “Yay!”
The supportive message was endorsed by Ardern, who posted the message on Facebook under the caption: “A friend had a friend who ran into a Labour friend in London. Thanks Jeremy. Giving it our all.”
Since being elected to lead New Zealand Labour last month, Ardern – the party’s youngest ever leader – has enjoyed a wave of popular support labelled “Jacindamania” that has transformed the run-up to the election in two weeks’ time.
Last week polling put Labour ahead of the incumbent National party for the first time in over a decade, with a resurgent opposition under Ardern up from 26% to 43%. National was on 41%.
The ballooning levels of excitement over Ardern’s invigorating leadership of the formerly morose Labour party have been compared to Corbyn’s “youthquake”, which saw Britain’s Labour party experience a surge of support from young voters in the recent general election.
Political commentator Bryce Edwards said last month: “At this point the Labour party seems to have gone from a grey, old party with a lot of doom and gloom about them, to a party of Corbynesque excitement; and similar support,” referring to the unexpectedly strong electoral showing in the UK.
The two leaders also share an informal, approachable political style which is being hailed as a way forward, and has proved resoundingly popular with women and the young.
Like Corbyn, Ardern became active in politics from a young age, joining the labour party at 17 before moving into politics full-time when she was elected as a Labour MP in 2008.
