1. Think back to this time three years ago. Three years. That's all. Three short years. Now imagine people leaving @UKLabour because they believe it has become an institutionally racist party. You can't, can you? That's the scale of what's happened inside such a short time frame.
2. Now imagine how you can reverse that process. Right now when with the possibility of an election, when the leadership needs to avoid splits & rows, right now is when it CHOOSES to formally discriminate against Jews, to make anti-semitism conditional and get away with it. Why?
3 Because it knows it's so strong it can get away with it. It knows anti-semitism isn't a big vote loser. It knows party loyalty runs so deep many will if not grin at least bear it. They will think a trade-off with rail nationalisation is worth it. Or that things can change back
4 MPs & councillors believe they can implement the progressive aspects of a Corbyn manifesto while stopping or at least ameliorating the worst. I believe they're wrong. Because if Corbyn can get away with this - & he has - when he needs their support most, he'll ignore them later
5 Think Trump. Think how many said he wouldn't win or if he did he'd change - 'pivot' - towards the centre? That the 'realities' of power would moderate his ego & his programme? How's that going? Why would Corbyn be different?
6 Unlike every previous Labour PM he can hand-pick his own team. The rest, Blair included, had to make a Shadow Cabinet elected by the PLP their first Cabinet. Corbyn can make Chris Williamson head of the Ministry of Truth if he wants.
7 The idea that backbenchers can 'control' a Corbyn govt is laughable. Over half the Labour backbenches opposed the Iraq War. How far did that get them. And executive power in the UK is immense. Governments can do many things without recourse to Parliament.
8 MPs opposing even the slightest aspect of a Corbyn govt will be marked down as disloyal & targeted for deselection. No one will be able to rebel against Corbyn hundreds of times. Poachers are always the strictest gamekeepers
9 There is no electoral programme which is 'Corbyn minus' or 'Corbyn but' or 'Corbyn except' there is only 'Corbyn, warts & all' (Except don't suggest the dear leader has any warts or other flaws). All Labour candidates will be 'Corbyn or else'
10 These are the 'off the top of my head' musings of one who resigned from @UKLabour after over 40 years so I know how difficult it is to make that step. Yet I believe this week has seen the Rubicon crossed (indeed I think it happened some time ago). There are no more excuses.
11 A party which thinks it's on the brink of government has consciously decided to discriminate against a minority group. It's clear any who continue to support it are enabling this to be implemented. Is sending Old Etonians to university free of charge a price worth paying?
12 Many will disagree. I'm not arrogant enough to claim I'm right & they're wrong. Indeed I've never wanted to be more wrong in my life. But both my heart & head tell me I'm not. I will not be a member of, campaign for or vote for a racist party. #RIPLabour 1900-2015. Rant over.
