Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
ON Wednesday a stunning new poll from Ipsos Mori showed Labour beating the Tories by five points — 38 per cent to 33 per cent — up three from a month ago.
Obviously this didn’t fit with Jeremy Corbyn’s “unelectable” narrative, so the media ignored these numbers and instead ran with the firm’s “headline” figure, which showed the Tories winning 36 to 35 — the same as in June.
Mori published pie charts showing both results, but said the “headline voting intention” was more reliable because it only counted people certain to vote.
With ‘Your Party’ holding its founding conference in Liverpool this weekend, JEREMY CORBYN speaks to Morning Star editor Ben Chacko about its potential, its priorities — and a few of its controversies too
Who you ask and how you ask matter, as does why you are asking — the history of opinion polls shows they are as much about creating opinions as they are about recording them, writes socialist historian KEITH FLETT
The suspended Labour MP’s historic resignation to found a working-class party has lit up social media with excitement as thousands knock at the door wanting involvement in the desperately needed project, writes ANDREW BURGIN
While Reform poses as a workers’ party, a credible left alternative rooted in working-class communities would expose their sham — and Corbyn’s stature will be crucial to its appeal, argues CHELLEY RYAN


