When Graham Dilley went out to bat in the famous 1981 Headingley test match, Ian Botham told him that "we wouldn't survive long just blocking, so we might as well have a swing." This same reasoning, I suspect, explains Labour members support for Jeremy Corbyn.

If the choice were between an election victory under, say, Andy Burnham or a defeat under Corbyn, most Labour members - though perhaps not all - would support Burnham. But that's not necessarily the choice. Maybe Labour will lose under any leader. If so, they might as well follow the Botham principle and have a swing. As Paul Bernal says. "If the Labour world is going to end, let it end with a bang, not a whimper."

And Corbyn is the only candidate offering a bang. Neil Schofield, James Bloodworth and Richard Murphy all agree that his popularity reflects a disaffection with the "mainstream" candidates who prefer to collaborate with the Bubble than talk about principles.

What's more, there is a chance - not high, but maybe better than 500-1 - that Labour could win under Corbyn. Voters agree with some of his positions, for example on higher top taxes and renationalizing the railways. His unpoliticiany ways could appeal to those many voters who are antipathetic to Westminster and appreciate people who talk their minds. And remember the old adage: oppositions don't win elections; governments lose them. Maybe dissatisfaction with austerity, Tory splits over Europe or an economic downturn would hand Labour victory under anyone.

In this context, I'm not sure Sunny is right to say that Corbyn would repel Ukip voters. Ukippers have quite "leftist" attitudes in some ways. As Matthew Goodwin points out, most of them agree that there's one law for the rich and one for the poor, and most support (pdf) nationalization and price controls; they want control of immigration because they want control of much of the economy. There's potential support there for Corbyn.

Which brings me to my problem. What strikes me about Corbyn is just how uninspiring his economic programme is. I fear his proposed austerity for the rich and for companies will prove as macroeconomically self-defeating as the Tories version of austerity has been*. And there's disappointingly little about worker ownership or what to do about stagnant productivity, job polarization, the threat of robotization (pdf) or the possible transition to post-capitalism.

If this is the best Labour can do, then the party really has run out of intellectual resources.

* That said, there might well be a case for abolishing corporate tax relief for debt (pdf) interest payments - one of the tax reliefs of which Corbyn complains.