It’s not over yet – Jeremy Corbyn could still become Prime Minister

Given his momentum and the taste of the British public for giving the establishment a kick up the jacksie, I’m guessing we won’t have to wait long for another election. It would not take much for Corbyn to take power

First he won the election. Well, OK, he didn’t, but we surely know who lost the election. That’s the nature of a hung parliament. In 2010 it was plain that the then prime minster, Gordon Brown had lost his election, even though he could theoretically have cobbled together a “rainbow coalition” of “progressive” parties to keep David Cameron out of Downing Street (including representatives from Northern Ireland). Yet his older and wiser comrades counselled that he had lost his moral authority. Wisely, after some mucking about, he threw the towel in.

In that sense we know very well that the British public have summarily rejected Theresa May's call for a personal mandate. Why, then, would they want her to carry on? It was she who set the bar for personal success so high; so she has to now pay the price.

There are also plenty of constitutional precedents for a messy situation in the Commons to be resolved by the second placed party in terms of seats to be given the chance to rule. That, by the way, is how Britain got its first Labour government, in 1924. It is entirely legitimate, if a little strange to some eyes.

Second, we need a softer Brexit than the one we’re currently headed for. Adding together the Labour, SNP and Liberal Democrat votes gives us an idea of the national support for a broadly “soft” Brexit. You cannot be scientific about this, I concede, but Corbyn was shrewd to take the stance he did in the election of mild euro scepticism; it neutralised Brexit as much as could be done, but preserved a distinctive softer stance than the Conservatives. Thus “soft Brexit” won this election, fair and square. Ideally, Theresa May would acknowledge this and agree to a cross-party approach; but we know how stubborn she can be.

Third, it would be fun. Well, sort of. Novel at any rate. A sense of political adventure may be why Corbyn polled so surprisingly well. Like voting for Boaty McBoatFace, there’s a certain amount of bloody-mindedness involved. It would be intriguing to watch an industry being slowly nationalised, like a python consuming wild boar; unpleasant but still compelling.

Most voters today have no knowledge first hand or even otherwise, of pre-Blair Labour governments (And the youngest ones can’t remember Tony Blair either). They thus lack a certain perspective. Hyperinflation, emergency public spending cuts, IMF loans, collapsing sterling and brutal trade union power would all be novelties. After a few years even Momentum supporters would become Thatcherites. That too would be amusing to witness.

Last, it would, as a result of all of the above, re-invigorate democracy. The young voted for Corbyn, and they deserve a reward for their engagement with the system. Those of us deeply worried about Corbyn still have to admit that he has achieved that, and the country has moved to the left. Voters have turned away from centrist, triangulated policies. The Theresa May’s defeat (for such it was) was also a defeat for a style of politics that has grown tedious. In honour, she should give up.

Given his momentum and the taste of the British public for giving the establishment a kick up the jacksie, I’m guessing we won’t have to wait long for another election. It would not take much for Corbyn to take power. To witness the improbable sight of Corbyn standing on theses of Downing Street, escorting the Queen on a walk round the Buckingham Palace garden for his weekly audience, attending his first G7 summit, hosting Donald Trump at a state dinner (maybe), being shown around a Trident submarine, installing El Gato at Number 10 and any other amount of other excitements, big and small.

All we are saying, is give Jez a chance. A fine chant for a demo in Whitehall this weekend – don’t you agree?