The recent election of left-wing Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn marked a sea change in British politics, encouraging many people to take a new or renewed interest in the political process – and now there's a hands-on way for them to do it with last week's launch of the new grassroots network Momentum. Momentum builds on Corbyn's win by enlisting a range of activists, including Labour Party members, their supporters and everyday Britons who want to “continue the energy and enthusiasm of Jeremy's campaign” to eventually see him become prime minister.

Marsha Thompson, one of Momentum's founders, ran Corbyn's social media campaign during the leadership elections and told Occupy.com, “We're trying to make sure the Jeremy4Leader campaign isn't just subsumed into the Labour Party.” For Thompson and others who have thrown their weight behind Corbyn, the goal is to "keep the enthusiasm built up and make a grassroots movement that can involve people from inside and outside the party."

"Prominent partisan campaign groups such as UK Uncut have already been very supportive. We hope Momentum will bring more people who are anti-austerity into fighting for a Corbyn victory,” she added.

As well as encouraging new activists to get involved politically, Thompson is particularly keen to retain the tens of thousands of people who joined Labour or paid a one-off £3 ($4.50) fee to register with the party in order to support Corbyn's campaign – and who can now serve as a popular force in the aftermath of his election. “It's a great way of galvanizing these new members and supporters. Our social media reach on the Jeremy campaign was seven or eight million," Thompson said, and "we want those seven or eight million to be more than Facebook likes and Twitter follows. We want them to be able to get out there and do something. And we want to structure Momentum so that everyone gets a say.”

An accountant in London who gave her name as Psyche is typical of those who Momentum is reaching out to. “I'm reluctant to give more money to a major political party,” Psyche told Occupy.com. “I don't trust the rest of them enough yet.” Someone who considers herself a "Corbynite," but not necessarily a Labourite, she said she remains wary of many of Corbyn's fellow MPs and other colleagues in the party – but wants Labour to get in power because she believes in Corbyn's ability to transform politics.

“I am hopeful about the future for the first time in ages,” she said. “Corbyn's victory has shown that maybe not all politicians are self-serving, corrupt chancers who will say anything to get elected. There hasn't been a major party leader in a long time who has stuck to their convictions, who genuinely cares about people and making this country a better place.”

In particular, Psyche said she was impressed by Corbyn's independent approach and his refusal to toe the party line. “I am encouraged by the support that Corbyn has drawn across party lines, mainly due to his honesty, his populist persona and his opposition to the Trident [nuclear program]. His surge has shown how many people in this country are angry at the Tories and the status quo" of austerity politics, she added.

"I think that if Corbyn allies with the Scottish National Party, we have a chance for a left-wing government in 2020 – and I know he'll do all he can to fight the Tories in the meantime.”

John McDonell, another Labour Party “rebel” and Corbyn's Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, said of Momentum on the Labour Party website:

“Now more than ever we need to unite and continue to build our movement to change our politics and to win together in 2020. We need to put our values, the people’s values, back into politics. To do this, we need to keep up the momentum we have built over the last four months. We need the campaign’s momentum to continue to transform our democracy and our way of doing politics. We are part of this wider social movement, running an economy in the interests of all.”

While many see the launch of Momentum as a bold and tactful step to shift political landscape in Britain, critics have already accused Corbyn of attempting to whip up a “cult of personality” around himself – and tensions on the left may grow as some activist contingents wonder why their colleagues are “getting into bed” with Labour. Welcome to the new playing field of UK electoral politics.

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