To Jeremy Corbyn, it’s always 1945, when the national divisions revolved almost exclusively around class. Corbyn is a Marxist, and has no use for identity politics, which he views as a distraction created by capitalists to divide the working class. That’s why he can’t really embrace the opposition to Brexit and the second referendum; he would have to leave behind the millions of pro-Brexit reactionary workers that he views as the true backbone of his party. And that is why he will lead Labour into an abyss at the next election, which may be sooner than you think.
Bernie Sanders, as you would expect, feels much the same way. Bernie’s Marxist background tells him that the battle in America that matters is between oppressed workers and big business. He understands identity politics, and has made some grudging concessions to them this time around in order to win the election. He will never embrace them, however.
There can’t be any serious doubt that Bernie’s heart is in the right place on issues of race and sexual identity; he has always identified with downtrodden people, and he always will. Due to his obsession with the class struggle, however, Bernie is not woke, and he never will be.
And that is one really big reason why he won’t get the nomination in 2020.