JEREMY CORBYN'S 'SPIRIT OF 45' versus MARGARET THATCHER'S 'SPIRIT OF 79' - THE CONTEST OF THE 21st CENTURY

And what a contest it is! 'The Spirit of 45' was a team that looked as if it was heading for oblivion. Their belief in socialist values and in the power and strength of communitarianism had attracted fewer and fewer spectators. They found themselves losing bigtime. A new manager had arrived, Tony Blair, and rebranded the team calling it 'The Spirit of 97'. It was a spin doctor's dream. He had taken the name and spirit and ideology of the other big team in town - 'The Spirit of 79' - and tweaked their formation and playing style a bit to include a little of the best from the old 'Spirit of 45' - and then gave the 'Thatcherites', as 'The Spirit of 79' were nicknamed, a drubbing.

'The Spirit of 45' under their manager, Clem Attlee 

Elements within 'The Spirit of 79' were far from alarmed. After all, they were the natural leading team, created to be champions. They might be losing a few battles, a few elections, but the old manager had known a thing or two - what did she say? 'My greatest achievement is 'The Spirit of 97'. She knew that her philosophy as a manager , her commitment to individualist playing styles - to the all-conquering neoliberal approach to the modern game - had been thoroughly absorbed through every pore of the skin of 'The Spirit of 97', the 'Blairites' as they were called.

Sure enough, 'The Spirit of 79' bounced back and in 2010 - under new management and an even more ruthless and refined playing style yet still using the tactics and formation that first saw the light of

day in '79 - they defeated 'The Spirit of 97'. They went on to dominate the game for the next seven years, smashing the 'Blairites' once more in another big battle in 2015.  

But OMG, as they say these days, what a turn-up! 'The Spirit of 45' is back in town - and heading for the top of the leader board! Oh, how they all laughed - the men and women who make a living commentating on this game of human destinies - when a new manager was chosen in the aftermath of the 2015 election defeat. Chosen not by the usual few behind the scenes but by the people themselves - the spectators - who had seen their old formation and principles of play stolen from them in the course of the Blairite takeover. And what a new manager he has turned out to be!

Jeremy Corbyn - the manager of 'The Spirit of 45', 21st century version

Tough as old boots. Mocked, ridiculed, told to go by the 'commentariat' - names such as Toynbee and Jones come to mind. Told to go by 'The Spirit of 79' - who actually were a tiny bit worried about the possibility that his message might win a few games. Told to go by 'The Spirit of 97' - who couldn't believe that their Blairite-shaped rejection of the principles of 'The Spirit of 45' could possibly be mistaken. And still he stayed. And still the people who had made him manager applauded - and more and more of them joined the club. Very soon, The Spirit of 45' had the biggest fan base of any team in Europe with around half-a-million members. 

And do you know what?  - as they say these day. We've just seen this manager - rubbished by all and sundry and with a 22 point disadvantage before kick off - get within 2,227 votes of becoming Prime Minister. If  'The Spirit of 45' had won seven more skirmishes, seven more seats narrowly taken by 'The Spirit of 79', then our new manager would have been able to form a progressive alliance with other smaller parties and head the leader board.

Jeremy Corbyn in a 'selfie' with NHS staff - Labour created the NHS in 1945; we can still save it in 2017

Who is this man of steel? He's called Jeremy Corbyn and he's still up for it - and so are we. We want to see The Spirit of 79' relegated - for good. They have too many nasty players. Too many in the game just for themselves. Everything is on a knife-edge, even as I write. Jeremy, our leader, is offering his services as the first minister our country needs. I saw - immediately before I began writing this morning - that a Survation opinion poll just released had 'The Spirit of 45' six points ahead of 'The Spirit of 79' -  45% voters' support against 39%. This since Thursday, when the voters' support had favoured The Spirit of 79', 42% to 40%. We're up 5%. They are down 3%.

Wonderful things, elections. I feel another one around the corner. Be very glad.

I almost forgot - I wrote a prophetic book that was published last August in 2016. It is called 'The Road to Corbyn'. Here is a link to help you to a very good read.