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Jeremy Corbyn's campaign, as foretold by Yes Minister

The Labour leader has met with missteps and triumphs

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(Image credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

published 8 June 2017

Jeremy Corbyn went into the election facing an almost unprecedented uphill battle, more than 20 points behind his rival.

However, as the parties got their campaigns up and running, several commentators noticed that Theresa May seemed keen to keep a low profile.

In May, the Labour party released its manifesto. The most eye-grabbing pledges were promises to increase taxes on the wealthy and roll back planned cuts to corporation tax to fund a massive investment in public services - plans described in the media as "audacious" by some, and "controversial" by others.

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Corbyn's tax plans came under scrutiny from right-leaning think tank the Institute for Economic Affairs, which said the planned tax increases would leave a £6bn shortfall - but Labour MPs insisted that the pledges did add up.

The campaign sustained another blow when both Corbyn and shadow home secretary Diane Abbott endured "car-crash" TV interviews in which they failed to remember key figures from their policies.

Meanwhile, Corbyn was also trying to convince the British public that he could look like a true leader.

But in the end, it was Corbyn's more down-to-earth moments that seemed to resonate with voters - like when he told The One Show about his love of jam-making and vintage manhole covers

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