The Labour Party conference will probably be written up as a cross between a Nuremberg Rally, and a weekend at Stalin's Dacha. It always is.
And, likewise, the Labour Right are gearing up their mudslinging. So...
And, likewise, the Labour Right are gearing up their mudslinging. So...
...a (lengthy) thread on their catalogue of ineptitude - which has invariably proven both risible, and a bit troubling, really.
The first attempt centred on the Syria airstrikes debate (2nd December 2015).
The Parliamentary vote was timed to coincide with the by-election in Oldham (3rd December 2015), following Michael Meacher's passing.
The Parliamentary vote was timed to coincide with the by-election in Oldham (3rd December 2015), following Michael Meacher's passing.
It was predicted/expected by various politics understanderers that Labour would lose the Oldham seat to Ukip:
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
Hilary Benn would then ululate his bloviation, and undermine Corbyn in Parliament; by inciting Labour MPs to side with the government.
The belief was that he would be replaced in a 'reshuffle' - which was the pretext for a coup. Only it didn't happen.
uk.businessinsider.com/jeremy-corbyn-…
The belief was that he would be replaced in a 'reshuffle' - which was the pretext for a coup. Only it didn't happen.
uk.businessinsider.com/jeremy-corbyn-…
As it was, a number of MPs were replaced; which led to several more flouncing from the shadow cabinet, only to be promptly forgotten by history:
bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-pol…
bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-pol…
One plus point of all this was that Stella Creasy had seemingly been weighing-up the pros & cons of fascism; but thanks to Benn's speech, she was persuaded to forego it.
Local elections, April 2016: Labour's Compliance Unit began leaking material to the Guido site/Telegraph, and if memory serves (it probably doesn't) in one case to BBC News.
It was intended to cloud the elections, resulting in major losses for Labour; thereby serving as another pretext for a coup.
telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/2…
telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/2…
But again, it didn't happen.
Damaging their own party was a bit of an odd strategy from people who spend so much time saying that the only thing which matters is power; and that the country needs Labour in office. But still.
Damaging their own party was a bit of an odd strategy from people who spend so much time saying that the only thing which matters is power; and that the country needs Labour in office. But still.
Coup of 26th June 2016: following the eu ref, Labour MPs' coordinated their resignation from the shadow cabinet.
Walking out two by two, in order to dominate politics live blogs; and be immediately forgotten by pretty much everyone else.
theguardian.com/politics/live/…
Walking out two by two, in order to dominate politics live blogs; and be immediately forgotten by pretty much everyone else.
theguardian.com/politics/live/…
Slight snag: they announced their intentions to the Telegraph beforehand, expecting Remain to win & Corbyn to resign; thereby demonstrating their full array of prescience:
telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/1…
telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/1…
Not to mention the strategic mastery, which the tacticians behind the EdStone are renowned for:
telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/…
telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/…
Nonetheless, in the event of Brexit plunging the UK into political uncertainty, the Labour Right clearly thought it wise to Launch a coup, regardless:
telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/2…
telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/2…
This was premised on the notion that Corbyn sabotaged Remain, by...campaigning for it.
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
A narrative that was supported by the Labour Right, and by newspapers which had fervently backed Leave:
telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/0…
thesun.co.uk/news/1567970/j…
telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/0…
thesun.co.uk/news/1567970/j…
There was even a bizarre conspiracy theory that Corbyn had secretly voted Leave
And what with the referendum being decided by just the one vote (plus a million or so more), that could not have been more significant:
And what with the referendum being decided by just the one vote (plus a million or so more), that could not have been more significant:
Should be noted that this tweet from Comrade Eaton, was published before somebody showed him a Queen of Diamonds playing card (cf. Manchurian Candidate).
A vote of no-confidence was tabled by Labour MPs Hodge & Coffey - who, to their credit, have never had a bad word to say about Corbyn since then:
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
Corbyn politely declined their suggestion; and went to an allotment meeting instead:
telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/0…
telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/0…
This subsumed Labour in months of infighting, as wave of the future - Owen Smith - fought off hundreds of lads, and stood proudly for the Labour Leadership: offering no less than 29 inches of electable credibility.
It resulted in Corbyn being re-elected with an increased share of the vote:
theguardian.com/politics/blog/…
theguardian.com/politics/blog/…
Meanwhile the Tories consolidated their position; and exploited the tsunami of nationalistic xenophobia which followed their referendum.
Putting them on 43% of the vote - which is roughly where they've been ever since.
Putting them on 43% of the vote - which is roughly where they've been ever since.
Theresa May, journailsts were certain, was parking her tanks on Labour's lawn.
thetimes.co.uk/article/may-pa…
thetimes.co.uk/article/may-pa…
Tanks...Labour's lawn....
Which is what pundits had said about David Cameron (can't quite recall how that one turned out):
At its nadir, this parking of tanks on lawns had seen Theresa May & Amber Rudd make openly anti-migrant speeches at the Conservative Party conference:
theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/o…
theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/o…
Because the Tory MPs who had sent anti-migrant vans around the country, and deported Windrush citizens, would never have engaged in open racism if Labour had been a credible opposition.
Just like they didn't do in the general elections of 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2017.
Just like they didn't do in the general elections of 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2017.
Oct 2016: c. 100 Labour MPs abstained on the Yemen war motion, to temporarily suspend the sale of weaponry to Saudi Arabia; because the profiteering of Britain's arms trade must take priority over such trivialities as mass starvation and war crimes:
theguardian.com/politics/2016/…
theguardian.com/politics/2016/…
Dec 2016-Jan 2017: Jamie Reid & Tristram Hunt resigned within weeks of each other.
Their seats had come under increased pressure from Conservatives in the General Election of 2015.
More politics understandering followed:
theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/f…
Their seats had come under increased pressure from Conservatives in the General Election of 2015.
More politics understandering followed:
theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/f…
Stoke was retained narrowly - but the combined Ukip/Tory vote was c. 10,000 (split almost 50/50); while the Labour candidate gained just under 8,000.
And Copland was lost:
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
And Copland was lost:
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
Snap election announced March 2017. Circumstances were at their bleakest.
Helpfully, columnists who wanted Labour to do well continued to offer constructive advice to the party's leader:
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
Helpfully, columnists who wanted Labour to do well continued to offer constructive advice to the party's leader:
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
Labour MPs, however, put their differences aside - and worked tirelessly to undermine Corbyn throughout the campaign:
newsocialist.org.uk/a-vow-of-silen…
newsocialist.org.uk/a-vow-of-silen…
Local election results in Scotland: Centrist-led Scottish Labour ignored the dominant frame of Scots politics since 2014 - nationalism vs unionism; and campaigned on the basis of healthcare, taxation, education and mental health:
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla…
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla…
Everything seemed doomed ...but then - (unprovably) the Labour Right had the ingenious idea of leaking their party's manifesto to the Telegraph/Guido website.
Just to be helpful, I do not - for a moment - doubt.
telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/1…
order-order.com/2017/05/11/rea…
Just to be helpful, I do not - for a moment - doubt.
telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/1…
order-order.com/2017/05/11/rea…
Wall to wall media coverage followed - it was of course denounced by a number of Labour MPs:
telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/1…
telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/1…
But it resulted in a major boost of support for Labour; and an unprecedented outcome of the General Election.
And Stephen Kinnock's most memorable moment, recorded for posterity.
And Stephen Kinnock's most memorable moment, recorded for posterity.
Less well-remembered: on Election night there was another abortive coup. Corbyn et al were locked out of their offices; reportedly at Ian MacNicol's instigation.
Who, let the record show, issued a thoroughly convincing denial.
Who, let the record show, issued a thoroughly convincing denial.
A surprise election success, against all the odds.
Which - naturally - resulted in yet more complaints from Labour MPs:
theguardian.com/politics/2017/…
Which - naturally - resulted in yet more complaints from Labour MPs:
theguardian.com/politics/2017/…
29th June 2017: Chuka Umunna added a single market amendment, to the Queen's speech.
Which saw 50 Labour MPs expressing their gratitude towards Corbyn, for securing their seats in the General Election, by publicly undermining him:
theguardian.com/politics/blog/…
Which saw 50 Labour MPs expressing their gratitude towards Corbyn, for securing their seats in the General Election, by publicly undermining him:
theguardian.com/politics/blog/…
You can't fault Umunna's steadfast belief that MPs should vote freely, according to their own consciences, however.
Even if it's the exact opposite of what he'd said not long before:
independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…
Even if it's the exact opposite of what he'd said not long before:
independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…
May 2018: Waheed Ali and 82 other Labour peers defied their Party whips, & voted for an EEA amendment, in the House of Lords:
theguardian.com/politics/blog/…
theguardian.com/politics/blog/…
This was never going to be ratified; and merely divided Labour MPs.
It even saw the bizarre spectacle of somebody resign from the shadow cabinet to vote against it, when they had merely been asked to abstain anyway.
It even saw the bizarre spectacle of somebody resign from the shadow cabinet to vote against it, when they had merely been asked to abstain anyway.
The Great anti-Semitism crisis, of the local elections April 2018.
When a mundane (albeit, inept) anti-capitalism mural was wrongly dubbed anti-Semitic; and despite being erased in 2012, was heralded as proof that pure evil was rife within the Labour Party of 2018.
When a mundane (albeit, inept) anti-capitalism mural was wrongly dubbed anti-Semitic; and despite being erased in 2012, was heralded as proof that pure evil was rife within the Labour Party of 2018.
It saw Labour MPs join noted anti-racism campaigners, such as Norman Tebbit, in protesting against Corbyn; alongside Tories who, as a rule, only ever discriminate against people on account of their ethnicity, age, sex, gender, sexuality, or income; rather than their religion.
Though exceptions are made when it comes to Muslims, Irish Catholics, or Hungary's Jewish citizens, admittedly.
March 2018: Labour MPs publicly side with Theresa May following the Skripal incident - instead of asking why the government repeatedly failed to protect civilians in Britain, from Russian agents; which would have been bad manners.
theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/m…
theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/m…
June 2018: Heathrow 3rd runway vote.
Labour MPs and Unions demanded Heathrow's expansion; and it was clear that mass resignations would ensue if a free-vote was not given:
theguardian.com/environment/20…
Labour MPs and Unions demanded Heathrow's expansion; and it was clear that mass resignations would ensue if a free-vote was not given:
theguardian.com/environment/20…
Also June 2018 - the Peoples' Vote march, which demanded that Jeremy Corbyn grant the public a second EU referendum...somehow:
theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/wh…
theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/wh…
It was seemingly beyond people asking where Corbyn was, to discern that he was visiting a refugee camp, for those who are literally homeless; as opposed to
those who have been left politically homeless, ever since they didn't get their own way over something.
those who have been left politically homeless, ever since they didn't get their own way over something.
The Great anti-Semitism crisis of August 2018 - when it was suggested that Jeremy Corbyn was an evil, heinous anti-Semite; because he was attempting to make the Labour Party's code of conduct more robust, in order to tackle anti-Semitism more effectively.
So, Corbyn has had to contend with a coup, numerous attempts at undermining him/forcing his resignation; & hostility from virtually the entire press,
While opposing a government which enjoys roughly the same level of support granted to Thatcher in '83; and Blair in '97.
While opposing a government which enjoys roughly the same level of support granted to Thatcher in '83; and Blair in '97.
Both of those junctures resulted in electoral landslide-victories for the party of government.
In 2017, Labour deprived the Conservatives of their Parliamentary majority.
In 2017, Labour deprived the Conservatives of their Parliamentary majority.
It stopped May's attempts at turning Britain into a de facto one party state; and will hopefully prevent hard Brexit.
But politics columnists don't like him - and several not altogether bright celebrities don't care for him, either.
So I'm afraid, Corbyn really needs to take a good long look at himself, frankly.
So I'm afraid, Corbyn really needs to take a good long look at himself, frankly.
Much the same happened to Ed Miliband, incidentally; with a cast of familiar names.
It failed then as well; and merely caused electoral damage to Labour:
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
It failed then as well; and merely caused electoral damage to Labour:
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
Miliband epitomised 'centrism' - it didn't stop self-seeking Labour MPs and journalists treating him exactly the way they are treating Corbyn:
theguardian.com/politics/2014/…
theguardian.com/politics/2014/…
Didn't prevent the media pretending Miliband was an ineffectual yet all-powerful dictator, either:
prospectmagazine.co.uk/blogs/prospect…
prospectmagazine.co.uk/blogs/prospect…
So, why was Miliband destroyed by this; but Corbyn hasn't been?
I think the key difference is that Corbyn's programme for government is worth fighting for; whereas Miliband's wasn't.
I think the key difference is that Corbyn's programme for government is worth fighting for; whereas Miliband's wasn't.
Tanks...lawns...
Tanks...lawns...
Tanks...lawns....
He said it about May, as well:
Of course:
Tanks...lawn...
