This chapter examines Jeremy Corbyn's supporters and detractors in the context of fandom. I use the concepts of politics fandom and anti-fandom, common in fan studies, as a framework for understanding how Corbyn interacted with his base and how the public interacted with him and others connected to his politics. There are three parts to the Corbyn fandom: emotional and defensive attachments to the man, the project and the Left itself. These elements are also those that are rejected by the anti-fandom, who similarly gained identity, community and a sense of purpose through their activities attacking Corbyn and anyone who expressed support for him. This chapter will conclude that Corbyn himself and his key critics have a limited understanding of fandom logics, but some of the younger employees of Momentum and his “outriders” in the media and online enabled Corbynism to harness the positive aspects of fandom and fannish behaviour while struggling to curb its worst tendencies. Broadsheet columnists inflamed the anti-fandom and encouraged their behaviour by contrasting the “cult” of Corbynism with the “sensible” politics of the technocratic era it replaced and to which Keir Starmer has returned.

A fandom is a community of enthusiasts or supporters formed around a cultural property, such as a sports team, a music group or an actor. Joining a fandom, an intentional act, gives the fan an identity, community and direction that is weak or missing when they enjoy the property alone as an individual fan. They are able to find people who understand and will discuss their interest, a social network and a sense of being part of something bigger than themselves. Anti-fans (“antis”) get a similar sense of purpose, identity and even joy to that experienced by fans from despising a cultural property (Alters 2007; Gray & Murray 2016; Hill 2015). It is emotionally intense. When they join with others, they experience the power of community as an anti-fandom. Fandoms and antifandoms pit themselves in battles against each other, not merely for or against the object of their passions. In politics, fans and fandoms can be attached to politics as a whole, political parties, campaigns and individual politicians or activists (Andrews 2019; 2017).