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By Chris Kenning | CHICAGO

CHICAGO Buoyed by the British Labour Party election gains this week, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on Saturday urged a summit of progressive activists who propelled his presidential candidacy to ramp up efforts to win elections and help remake a Democratic Party he deemed a failure.

"They won those seats by standing up to the ruling class," he said, referring to the British elections and citing wins by progressive U.S. candidates in several state and local races while writing off losses as evidence liberal progressives could still be competitive even in conservative states.

But Sanders, who lost the Democratic nomination nearly a year ago to Hillary Clinton, showed little interest in a push by "Draft Bernie" activists who want him to start his own "People's Party." Many activists blame establishment Democrats for losing to President Donald Trump by failing to embrace a more populist left-leaning agenda.

Sanders headlined the three-day "People's Summit" in Chicago, attended by celebrity activists including actors Danny Glover and John Cusack, which brought together main progressive groups such as National Nurses United, Democratic Socialists of America and People for Bernie.

Many activists said they hoped to transform the momentum from recent protests such as January's Women's March in Washington into concrete plans to support a growing wave of grassroots candidates to secure electoral power.

"We could have 10,000 people marching, but if we don't have some means of translating that into winning political office and enacting a legislative progressive agenda, at the end of the day, what does it amount to?" said Nick Brana, the former staffer for theSanders campaign leading the "Draft Bernie" group.

With Trump mired in controversy over incidents such as the firing of former FBI Director James Comey, and Democrats having lost ground in statehouses and in Congress, RoseAnn Demoro, head of the nurses union, said the movement Sanders began was at a "tipping point" of broadening its support.

Leaders with the Democratic Socialists of America said their membership has bloomed from 6,000 before the election to 22,000.

Others warned that progressives dont have the fundraising firepower they need or that gains were still fledgling.

"We're closer but we're not yet winning," said activist and writer Naomi Klein.

Still, Sanders credited progressives with increasing public acceptance of proposals such as a $15 minimum wage, renegotiating trade policies and offering free college tuition. He got a standing ovation when he said the California Senate recently passed a single-payer health care plan.

(Reporting by Chris Kenning; Editing by Robert Birsel)

SAN JUAN Puerto Ricans head to the polls on Sunday to decide whether they want their struggling U.S. territory to become the 51st U.S. state, although a vote in favor would likely face an uphill battle in Congress and with President Donald Trump.

WASHINGTON U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday denied he tried to interfere with an FBI investigation, effectively accusing James Comey, the FBI's former director, of lying under oath to Congress.

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Bernie Sanders urges progressives to seek more electoral wins - Reuters

Audience at Van Jones speech, People's Summit 2017. National Nurses United

CHICAGO In remarks to thousands at the Peoples Summit here June 10, Van Jones said Progressives are too often absent where some of the worse pain is present.

The popular leader of the Dream Corp, now a TV personality, talked about his recent experiences backing coal miners who have been cheated out of their pensions and healthcare benefits. Most of those miners had voted for Trump.

They descended daily, miles down into these deep black holes where they knew their bodies would break but they did it because in exchange they are getting a modest paycheck to feed their families, and they expected that in their sick old age they would at least be able to afford some reasonable health care, Jones explained.

He described how the same coal companies that poison the environment then reneged on their promises to these miners taking away their pensions and healthcare.

So I took the opportunity to go to coal country to demonstrate in support of these miners, thinking that as a life long demonstrator and marcher Id have something to offer, Jones said. Ive done a lot of chanting and singing in my life, he added.

He described how he tried to start a chant: There aint no power like the power of the people cause the power of the people dont stop! He tried three times, no one picked it up, and then the wife of a miner tapped him on the elbow.

Dont feel bad Mr. Jones, it isnt you. They are glad you are here. Its them. They cant chant, they cant sing, they can hardly talk or breathe sometimes. They have black lung disease.

We have to be there for Black Lives Matter and we have to be there for Latinos in Florida when attempts to block their right to vote are underway. But we also have to be there for those miners in West Virginia. When we fought alongside of them we won back some of the healthcare and pension benefits for 20,000 of them.

I may not like how you voted but you are my brother and I dont want you to die. By sticking together all of us will win.

The hall rose to its feet in continuous and sustained applause.

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Van Jones at People's Summit: Progressives must engage Trump voters - People's World

Wall Street Journal (subscription)

The Blue State Progressives Should Be Pleased to Share Wall Street Journal (subscription) Was it just an accident that the June 8 letters all came from blue states that pay more in federal taxes than they get back? The writers complain this is unfair. Don't they see the hypocrisy of their complaint? The states that get the perks are the ...

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The Blue State Progressives Should Be Pleased to Share - Wall Street Journal (subscription)

This desperate Conservative government will reach out to the hardline DUP. The DUPs deputy leader Nigel Dodds, leader Arlene Foster and former leader Peter Robinson. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

Well, that was a shock. A Conservative majority has been toppled, a resurgent Labour party led by a emboldened leader has risen with gusto and the electoral map of Britain has been redrawn.

Progressives waking up this morning should be cheered. The number of MPs in parliament who oppose this hardline Tory government has increased, and our combined voices will be heard far louder in the next parliament.

But we face serious challenges too. This desperate Conservative government will reach out to the hardline DUP a party that denies climate change, opposes abortion and is openly homophobic. Theresa May was right to warn about a coalition of chaos her party is about to try to create one. And its a stark reminder of the inequity of our electoral system that the DUP will take 10 MPs to parliament with fewer than 300,000 votes, while my own party returns just one MP with over half a million.

Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen next, but here are the facts. Over 52% of people voted for Labour, Lib Dems, Greens, the SNP or Plaid Cymru. In numerical terms thats a progressive majority, yet were facing the Tories strong-arming their way into Downing Street. Though the Tories look likely to ask the Queen for permission to form a government, they do so in an incredibly weak position with a leader whose arrogant, negative campaign failed on its own terms.

Progressives need to be ready to offer something different by agreeing to work together wherever possible and enable a Labour minority government if such an opportunity presents itself. The Lib Dems in particular cannot sit this one out if they fail to countenance working with other progressives they will bolster the Tories.

I am proud to have been re-elected with an increased majority, and winning over half a million votes in the midst of an extreme two-party squeeze is not an insignificant achievement. Though Im deeply sad not to be joined by other Green MPs, I am truly proud that we started this campaign by looking to work with others to best beat the Tories. Its at times like these when stepping aside can be as brave a move as stepping forward. We brought issues forward in this campaign that others ignored: from the climate crisis to the positive case for free movement and a four-day working week. We looked to the future and offered a direct contrast with the Tories Little Britain.

So, what next? My first aim is to work with others to try our best to stop a lurch to the right from a Tory-DUP alliance. Ill resist a Tory government, and vote against any Queens speech it proposes. If Labour puts forward its own Queens speech, then Ill certainly be looking to influence it. I take my seat in parliament representing half a million people who voted to defend free movement, protect the environment and defend our public services I will strain every sinew to make sure those their voices are heard.

Though the rising tide of rightwing politics was defeated last night, we cannot and should not claim this as an outright victory. Instead we must consider this as a turning point, and the beginning of something, not the end. The politics of this country has been utterly transformed in the past two years. What happens next is down to all of us.

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A Labour-led government may yet emerge. We progressives must work together - The Guardian

Chalk up another loss for conventional wisdom. As Thursday dawned in Great Britain, it was expected that Prime Minister Theresa Mays Conservative Party would expand itsmajority in Parliament over the Labour Party and its far-left leader Jeremy Corbyn. Friday dawned upon a different reality: The Conservatives have 318 seats a loss of 13 seats from the previous election and eight short of the 326 needed an official majority. They will forma coalition government with the far-rightDemocratic Unionist Party, but with fewer votes to spare for any vote on Brexit (or any vote at all) the new government will be far weaker and less stable. Mays resignation and/or another election soon are both distinct possibilities.

Corbyn and Labour, with 262 seats, on the other hand have beaten every expectation: the most seatsfor Labour since 2005, the biggest share of the popular vote since 2001 and the largest popular vote swing toward Labour (almost 10 percent) since 1945. Corbyns success provides a model for U.S. progressives in 2018, 2020 and beyond: Ifyou need turnout to win as liberals in the United States do you need a bold, uncompromising platform with real solutions

Look at what Corbyn succeeded in spite of.He was attacked mercilessly by other Labour members of Parliament and party leaders, including former prime minister Tony Blair. (Many of the Labour MPs who held their seats on Thursday had voted no confidence in himjust last year.) He faced an unprecedentedly hostile media environment not just the standard mudslinging from right-wing tabloids, but skepticism and condescension from objective and even ostensibly pro-Labour outlets. Even many loyal supportersworried when the electionbegan that he would set back leftism.

Then look at what drove Corbyn to victory. No, it was not President Trump, though some Democrats are trying to make it sound that way. Labours surge came weeks before May struggled to deal with Trumps terrible tweets about terrorist attacks. Labour succeeded because turnout rose to its highest since 1997. The youth vote came out: One exit poll estimated turnout among voters under 35 at 56 percent, up 13 percent from 2015.Other estimates put youth turnoutas high as 72 percent.

Why was turnout so high? Because Corbyn was able to generate excitement among Labour voters, especially the young. Thats in no small part because of this years Labour manifesto (the British equivalentof aparty platform). Unlike other recent versions, mostly incrementalist documents that tweaked what came before, the 2017 edition is the boldest in decades: more money for the National Health Services and other major initiatives, a jobs first Brexit and free university tuition,financedby taxingcorporations and the wealthiest. The manifesto and the campaign were summed up by their elegantly simple slogan: For the many, not the few. To be clear, May ran a terrible campaign, including an insultingly vague manifesto, but Corbyn and Labour were able to capitalize so well because they offered a real alternative.

If liberalsare to succeed in the United States and elsewhere, they need high turnout, and especially high youth turnout. To do so, theyneed enthusiasm. Corbyn, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and others who have succeeded at this dont possess some mysterious charisma unavailable to everyone else. Unlikely voterswill not be convinced to turn out for the country is already great! or other vague platitudes. They will come out for real solutions to their problems, whether those solutions arecentrist, liberal, conservative or (perish the thought!) socialist.

But American voters arent like British voters, comes the reply. Thats partly true but only partly. The ever-more-connected world meanswhat was local is national and what was national is global.And there are few issues felt globally like inequality. In both countries, as elsewhere, people feel disenfranchised and unheard as many communities fall behind or remain left behind. Between 2009 and 2013 the most recent years available 85 percent of economic growth in the U.S. went to the top 1 percent.Young people in particular have come of age first watching an economic collapse driven by reckless speculation on Wall Street and deregulation in Washington and then seeing the financial firmswrongdoing go unpunished. Most votersbelieve something is very wrong with our current system.Offeringmore of the sameis a path to political obsolescence. Offering new ideas is a path to success.

Politics has changed, declared Corbyn Thursday night, and politics isnt going back in the box where it was before. He is right about British politics. If progressivesapply the lessons of his success judiciously,U.S. politics will also change for the better, for the many and not the few.

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Jeremy Corbyn's success is a model for American progressives - Washington Post (blog)