Why the Labour leader's supporters should take this 'coup' seriously
For those around Jeremy Corbyn, the usual attack lines are evident in this latest round. They argue that plotters remain a group of Blairites who have long been seeking to destabilise a leader they believe is simply not up to the job.
But to interpret what is happening like this would be a mistake. This coup is far more dangerous for Corbyn than his team might think.
First, many will recall the list leaked earlier this year, drawn up by the leader’s office of where Labour MPs stand in support for the party leader.
What is striking is that a number of those MPs listed as ‘Core Group Plus’, who were seen as largely supportive of Corbyn, are turning on him.
Shadow cabinet ministers Lillian Greenwood (former Unison official), Vernon Coaker and Karl Turner have resigned; Karen Buk has called for Corbyn to stand down, along with Shadow Housing Minister Roberta Blackman-Woods.
As of midday, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Owen Smith and Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary Lisa Nandy, have also resigned, with Nandy calling for deputy leader Tom Watson to become caretaker leader of the party.
Add that to the news that the former Unite Official, Chris Matheson MP, has resigned as a PPS, and Corbyn’s problems are much wider than a right-wing plot to oust a left-wing leader.
Second, while MPs such as Emily Thornberry have argued that Corbyn’s euro-scepticism is in tune with working class northern heartlands, his failure to address the immigration issue has not played well.
And let’s remember the polling by YouGov in February which found that 81 per cent of Labour members planned to vote to Remain in the EU.
Corbyn’s lacklustre campaign to Remain will not have played well with members at all, hence the growing sense of concern among the grassroots of the party.
Third, Corbyn supporters cannot point to any evidence that they are on the path to some great general election victory.
Indeed, research seen by PoliticsHome suggests 150 Labour MPs could loose their seat if the next Conservative Leader calls a snap election. It includes MPs Ed Miliband, Stephen Kinnock, Michael Dugher, Yvette Cooper, Maria Eagle and Andy Burnham.
Fourth, Corbyn’s new strongly anti-trident Shadow Cabinet line-up rubs against Unite’s expressed policy position of favouring renewal to safeguard valuable jobs.
This is likely to cause considerable difficulty if Corbyn’s new team is to defy expectations and last anything longer than the next week or so.
The reality is that Corbyn is in trouble. He and his team now have their heads in the sand.
Ed Jacobs is a contributing editor to Left Foot Forward
16 Responses to “Four reasons this plot to oust Jeremy Corbyn is different”
John Woods
I gave up on Jeremy after 3 months when I saw sufficient evidence of why had spent 33 happy years on the back benches. That anyone could do that and then be expected to want to become PM is more than any normal person could be. He should have known this himself, but then Michael Foot did not know until after the disaster that was 1983. Then we got Kinnock.
Robert Jones
I don’t think we need to be told that this is serious; that much is obvious. In fact it’s more than serious – it’s of historic importance. Because if Corbyn is removed, however it’s done, it will mean that the Parliamentary Labour Party has reasserted its historic power to determine who leads the party. That will mean the membership is once again relegated to a supporting cast to the main players, and I just don’t believe our people are going to put up with that – almost irrespective of what they may think of the man himself.
It’s important beyond the immediately obvious reasons for Corbyn to remain as leader – it’s important because the will of the party must reside, ultimately, with the membership. If it doesn’t, we will have forfeited the right to claim that Labour is a democratic party.
Aaron
Complaints about Corbyn’s Brexit campaigning seems like a very convenient way for other Labour MPs to cover their ass. Whatever Corbyn did or did not deliver in the Brexit referenudm, they apparently did not deliver either, and arguably are further away from Labour voters on the issue than Corbyn is. By blaming Corbyn they can continue on their merry way, keep trying to resurrect the New Labour coalition, and thus hasten the party toward electoral insignificance.
You can get this sense that in trying to pin the blame for the referendum outcome on Corbyn not campaigning hard enough, the PLP can continue to pretend there isn’t a real issue to deal with: that if they just sold the message enough the voters would fall in line with them. Except the voters are increasingly falling in line with the right wing, not the centre-left. Whatever Corbyn’s electoral prowess or lack thereof, he at least represents a real choice for voters. This must be something of a relief to many, having seen how quickly the Liberal Democrats sold themselves out to Tory dominance for the price of temporary political validation.
ted francis
When you cut through the devoted partisan biases and view the situation objectively you will understand why an increasing number in the party question whether Jeremy has the kind of electoral charismatic appeal to sway the necessary uncommitted voters we would need to win a general election. His performance in the referendum campaign was lacklustre to say the least. And I’m no Blairite, I voted for Jeremy as leader.
Greg
Or do they just want him well out of the way before the Chilcot Report comes out???
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2016/06/still-iraq-war-stupid/