Newscast Episode Summary

Podcast: Newscast (BBC News)
Episode: Old Newscast: How Jeremy Corbyn Won The Labour Leadership 2015 (Part 2)
Date: December 30, 2025
Host: Adam Fleming
Guests: Jane Merrick (Policy Editor at The i), Nick Watt (Chief Political Correspondent, previously at The Guardian and Newsnight)
Topic: An in-depth look at how Jeremy Corbyn unexpectedly won the Labour Party leadership in 2015 — the behind-the-scenes moments, campaign turning points, and the lasting consequences.

Main Theme

The episode delves into the dramatic and unforeseen rise of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader in 2015. Through firsthand accounts from political journalists who covered the contest, the discussion explores how Corbyn’s candidacy moved from a token presence to a transformative (and polarizing) moment in UK political history.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Corbyn’s Unexpected Candidacy

• Jeremy Corbyn only narrowly secured the 35 MP nominations he needed to get on the ballot, with many MPs viewing his candidacy as a gesture toward a "broad debate," rather than a serious bid.
  (04:41 Jane Merrick): “I think they wanted a healthy leadership contest that they could really thrash it out... I think they were happy to have that sort of, 'We’re going to have a proper debate.'”
• The party mood in June 2015 was optimistic about the breadth of the contest—no one yet envisaged Corbyn’s victory.

2. Rising Grassroots Momentum

• The influx of hundreds of thousands of new, registered Labour supporters for £3, driven by Miliband-era reforms, caused an unforeseen groundswell.
  (06:17 Nick Watt): “The clue that he was going to do well was not the noticing of the register supporters, it was the nominations coming in from the constituency Labour parties...”
• Early indications of Corbyn’s growing support came from CLP (Constituency Labour Party) nominations, not just headline news or MP endorsements.
• Nick Watt recounts the moment a Labour insider predicted Corbyn would win:
  (06:53 Nick Watt): “Nick, I think you need to know that I think Jeremy Corbyn is going to be the next leader... Just look at the nominations coming through from the constituency Labour Party.”
  (07:24)

3. Pivotal Polls and The Movement’s Visual Power

• A YouGov poll (22 July) projected a clear Corbyn win, shifting media and political establishment attitudes from disbelief to alarm.
  (08:21 Jane Merrick): “This YouGov poll came through and it was of Labour members and registered supporters, and it showed that he was going to win... I think everyone in Westminster... just went, 'Oh wow, okay.'”
• Corbyn’s rallies became “rammed” events across the UK, with numbers swelling and visible enthusiasm from new and non-traditional Labour supporters.
• The campaign’s grassroots energy was combined with organizational muscle, notably from unions like Unite, facilitating event infrastructure and supporter conversion.

4. Social Media Savvy and “Anti-Establishment” Vibe

• Although Corbyn was seen as a political throwback, his team deftly used social media—hashtags, viral events—to mobilize support, outpacing rivals’ online efforts.
  (11:52 Jane Merrick): “His team were very on the ball... a real grassroots movement... he tapped into not just this left wing moment, but this anti-politics moment.”
• Corbyn’s authenticity, lack of polish, and open naivety (as shown live on TV when he blurted out his home address) enhanced his outsider appeal.

5. The Contrast with Other Candidates

• Liz Kendall presented a hard Blairite line, but with little appeal (4.5% of vote); Andy Burnham tried to reposition from the left to center, and Yvette Cooper’s campaign only gained late momentum responding to the migration crisis.
• Morgan McSweeney, Kendall’s campaign runner, would become a key Labour figure years later, underscoring how the contest seeded future developments.

6. The Establishment’s Last-Minute Panic

• As Corbyn’s lead became undeniable, talk of “anti-Corbyn” candidates dropping out surged—but it was too late.
• Tony Blair’s intervention was famously tone-deaf:
  (22:33 Tony Blair): “‘...when people say, well, my heart says I should really be with that politics, well, get a transplant, because that’s just daft.’”
• The Blair critique only strengthened Corbyn’s “outsider” legitimacy with grassroots and new party members.

7. Victory and Aftermath

• On September 12, 2015, Corbyn won decisively in the first round, with 59.5% of the vote. He captured 83% of registered supporters and a majority of full Labour members.
  (24:03 Jane Merrick): “To win on the first round with 59.5%... he still won out of full Labour members as well.”
• Corbyn slipped out of the victory venue via a side exit to avoid the media scrum, heading to a pub, eschewing traditional political moves.
• He was immediately confronted by the realities of leading a party whose MPs overwhelmingly did not support him.
  (28:26 Nick Watt): “He knew from that instant that he was going to have real trouble with the parliamentary Labour Party... On that day, it felt like, I’ve just landed on the beach... I can’t see any supporters.”

8. Consequences and Reflections

• The episode closes with acknowledgement of the seismic repercussions for Labour—party rifts, the antisemitism crisis, and broader shifts in UK politics.
• Both guests reflect on the historic excitement of covering an unprecedented movement, while recognizing the “massive consequences” for Labour, UK Jews, and political standards.
  (32:24 Nick Watt): “How is it that there are members of Britain’s Jewish community, including good friends of mine, right here, right now, protesting against the leader of the Labour Party?”
  (31:30 Jane Merrick): “This was arguably the most democratic leadership contest that Labour have ever had... it was just a great story to follow.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments with Timestamps

• On Corbyn’s Reaction to 2015 Memories:
  (03:51 Nick Watt): “...this is clearly, to him, probably the biggest moment in his life, in his political life... he was taking over a party that was not wholly behind him.”

• On the CLP Nominations Turning Point:
  (06:53 Nick Watt): “Just look through at the nominations coming through from the constituency Labour Party. Jeremy Corbyn is way ahead... For me, that was like, wow. And I almost immediately went to the Guardian and saw a very senior editorial figure... ‘Absolutely right, we’re going to treat him like the others. Follow him around the country. Make sure we do that with him.’”

• On the YouGov Poll Shock:
  (08:21 Jane Merrick): “A YouGov poll... showed that he was going to win. He was going to beat Andy Burnham by 17 points in the first round... This was a real movement that was happening.”

• On Corbyn’s Unslick Style:
  (13:02 Adam): “He was so unslick compared to the other three... Jeremy Corbyn had suggested he wouldn’t move into 10 Downing street if he became Prime Minister. And Andrew Neil said to him, would you move into 10 Downing Street? And Jeremy Corbyn said, no, I’m perfectly happy. And then he blurted out his home address to like the entire nation on television.”
  (13:46 Nick Watt as Corbyn): “I think I’d be probably happier at [my address].”

• On Tony Blair’s Critique:
  (22:33 Tony Blair): “...when people say, well, my heart says I should really be with that politics, well, get a transplant, because that’s just daft.”
  (23:21 Nick Watt): “That was an absolute gift to Jeremy Corbyn... the Iraq War had been a terrible mistake, literally was a total gift to the Corbyn campaign.”

• On Victory Day:
  (24:03 Jane Merrick): “Obviously covering it for the Independent on Sunday... to win on the first round with 59.5%... outside there were hundreds of people... I was talking to a woman... she was saying, ‘This is what we want. I’ve always backed Jeremy Corbyn’s brand of politics. I’m so happy.’”

• On the Immediate Aftermath:
  (27:03 Adam): “Sign your life away, literally.”
  (28:26 Nick Watt): “As he looked out across the audience... it felt like, 'I’ve just landed on the beach... I can’t see any supporters.'”

• On Historical Consequences:
  (32:24 Nick Watt): “How is it that there are members of Britain’s Jewish community... protesting against the leader of the Labour Party?... a very big moment that what was not meant to happen happened.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:28 — Nick Watt recounts a chance meeting with Corbyn and his fond memories of the campaign.
• 05:58 — Adam and Nick discuss the unexpected supporter surge amid new party rules.
• 08:21 — The critical moment when polling revealed Corbyn’s genuine lead.
• 09:29 — Nick shares firsthand impressions of the energy at Corbyn rallies.
• 11:04 — Clip of Corbyn’s Sheffield rally (“ours is a campaign about ideas...optimism...”)
• 13:02 — Corbyn’s unslick TV performances and authenticity.
• 16:24 — Discussion of Corbyn’s past policy positions (e.g., abolishing NATO).
• 22:33 — Tony Blair’s remarks about Corbyn and their impact.
• 24:03 — Jane’s on-the-ground account of the victorious Saturday in Westminster.
• 27:56 — Excerpt from Corbyn’s victory speech.
• 28:26 — Corbyn’s own trepidations about securing PLP support.
• 31:30 — Reflection on the party’s (and country’s) subsequent political turmoil.

Tone & Language

The episode’s tone is conversational, insightful, and reflective. The hosts and guests balance journalistic observation (“extraordinary story to follow,” “fascinating contest”) with frank recognition of the grave ruptures and pain the Corbyn era inflicted (especially regarding antisemitism and party division).

For Listeners New to the Story

This episode provides a vivid, multi-perspective reconstruction of how Jeremy Corbyn overcame near-complete odds to become Labour leader amid party and national turbulence. It highlights the importance of grassroots activism, organizational change, media miscalculation, and political authenticity — as well as the unintended fallout of “opening up” established party structures.

The summary above captures the nuance and energy of the BBC’s original discussion, blending big-picture analysis with telling anecdotes for a complete, accessible retelling of a critical chapter in recent UK politics.