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Gordon Brown urges Labour not to be party of protest by electing Corbyn Gordon Brown urges Labour not to be party of protest by electing Corbyn
(35 minutes later)
Gordon Brown has become the latest senior Labour figure to warn against choosing Jeremy Corbyn as the party’s next leader, arguing he could damage international relations by allying with Hezbollah, Hamas, Venezuela and Russia. Gordon Brown has become the latest senior Labour figure to warn against choosing Jeremy Corbyn as the party’s next leader, arguing that he could damage international relations by allying with Hezbollah, Hamas, Venezuela and Russia. The former prime minister did not refer to any of the candidates by name, but his 50-minute speech was heavy with implicit warnings that Corbyn would make Labour a party of protest rather than of government.
The former prime minister did not refer to any of the candidates by name, but his 50-minute speech was heavy with implicit warnings that Corbyn would make Labour a party of protest rather than government. Brown told party members and invited journalists at the Royal Festival Hall in London that Labour must be “credible, radical, sustainable and electable to help people out of poverty”, and that anger was not enough. In a clear reference to Corbyn, he said there was one camp whose own supporters even did not believe their candidate would win the next election.
He told party members and invited journalists at the Royal Festival Hall in London that Labour must be credible, radical, sustainable and electable to help people out of poverty, and that anger was not enough.
In a clear reference to Corbyn, he said there was one camp whose own supporters even did not believe their candidate would win the next election.
Brown said he was heartbroken and the party grieving after the general election defeat in May, but that it would be “even worse if we leave ourselves powerless to do anything about it”.Brown said he was heartbroken and the party grieving after the general election defeat in May, but that it would be “even worse if we leave ourselves powerless to do anything about it”.
Analysing some of the reasons people may have turned to Corbyn’s leftwing politics, he said people were feeling insecure about globalisation, which had left people “uncertain and unmoored” and turned people to nationalism in countries from Greece to Scotland. Related: Andy Burnham blasts 'Tory' labelling of anyone not backing Jeremy Corbyn
He said Labour must not turn its back on internationalism and should build progressive alliances, especially within Europe, against “illiberalism, totalitarianism, antisemitism, racism and the extremisms of prejudice”. Analysing some of the reasons people may have turned to Corbyn’s leftwing politics, he said people were feeling insecure about globalisation, which had left people “uncertain and unmoored” and embracing nationalism in countries from Greece to Scotland. But he said Labour must not turn its back on internationalism and should build progressive alliances, especially within Europe, against “illiberalism, totalitarianism, antisemitism, racism and the extremisms of prejudice”.
In the most explicit warning so far about Corbyn’s foreign policy, he said: “Don’t tell me that we can do much for the poor of the world if the alliances we favour most are with Hezbollah, Hamas, Chávez’s successor in Venezuela and Putin’s totalitarian Russia.” In the most explicit warning so far about Corbyn’s foreign policy, he said: “Don’t tell me that we can do much for the poor of the world if the alliances we favour most are with Hezbollah, Hamas, Chávez’s successor in Venezuela and Putin’s totalitarian Russia.” Corbyn has been criticised for describing representatives of Hamas and Hezbollah as friends, which he has said was a collective term rather than a sign that he agrees with their views. He has also hinted at being open to a closer relationship with Russia and wants to withdraw from Nato.
Corbyn has been criticised for describing representatives of Hamas and Hezbollah as friends, which he has said was a collective term rather than a sign he agrees with their views. He has also hinted at being open to a closer relationship with Russia and wants to withdraw from Nato. Brown also said it was “not an abandonment of principles to seek power” and that Labour members should see their vote not as a protest but a “public duty and sacred trust”. “The best way of realising our high ideals is to show that we have an alternative in government that is credible, that is radical and is electable – is neither a pale imitation of what the Tories offer nor is it the route to being a party of permanent protest, rather than a party of government,” he said.
Brown also said it was “not an abandonment of principles to seek power” and that Labour members should see their vote not as a protest but a “public duty and sacred trust”.
“The best way of realising our high ideals is to show that we have an alternative in government that is credible, that is radical and is electable – is neither a pale imitation of what the Tories offer nor is it the route to being a party of permanent protest, rather than a party of government,” he said.
People must vote not for the candidate they “like” as they would on Facebook, but for the candidate who can make a difference, he added.People must vote not for the candidate they “like” as they would on Facebook, but for the candidate who can make a difference, he added.
In the lengthy speech, delivered from memory, Brown paced the room as he quoted a series of Labour politicians, including Aneurin Bevan, Keir Hardie, John Smith, Neil Kinnock and even his old rival Tony Blair, to cement his argument that power is necessary to change lives. In the lengthy speech, delivered from memory, Brown paced the room as he quoted a series of Labour politicians, including Aneurin Bevan, Keir Hardie, John Smith, Neil Kinnock and even his old rival Tony Blair, to cement his argument that power is necessary to change lives. He even invoked Mahatma Gandhi, asking: “Is what I am about to do going to help?”, and Nelson Mandela, saying the yardstick by which he would be measured was the ability to better the lives of all people.
He even invoked Mahatma Gandhi, asking: “Is what I am about to do going to help”, and Nelson Mandela saying the yardstick by which he would be measured was the ability to better the lives of all people. Responding to the speech, a spokesman from Corbyn’s campaign said it “highlighted the need for a Labour party that stands for hope, that is credible, radical and electable – on which basis the best candidate to vote for is Jeremy Corbyn. It is necessary to be credible, but credibility cannot mean an orthodoxy of austerity that chokes off recovery. Instead we need a Labour party that stands for growth, investment and innovation across the whole country,” he said.
Responding to the speech, a spokesman from Corbyn’s campaign said it “highlighted the need for a Labour party that stands for hope, that is credible, radical and electable - on which basis the best candidate to vote for is Jeremy Corbyn.
“It is necessary to be credible, but credibility cannot mean an orthodoxy of austerity that chokes off recovery. Instead we need a Labour party that stands for growth, investment and innovation across the whole country,” he said.
“Jeremy Corbyn’s clear plans for growth-led recovery rather than austerity mark him out as the candidate offering hope and drawing in thousands of new people in the process. Polls vary, but most have shown that Jeremy Corbyn is the candidate most likely to engage with voters beyond Labour’s existing supporters.”“Jeremy Corbyn’s clear plans for growth-led recovery rather than austerity mark him out as the candidate offering hope and drawing in thousands of new people in the process. Polls vary, but most have shown that Jeremy Corbyn is the candidate most likely to engage with voters beyond Labour’s existing supporters.”
Brown’s intervention comes after warnings from senior figures including Tony Blair, Alan Johnson, Jack Straw and Alastair Campbell that Corbyn would be electorally disastrous. None, however, have dented the leftwinger’s status as the favourite to win.Brown’s intervention comes after warnings from senior figures including Tony Blair, Alan Johnson, Jack Straw and Alastair Campbell that Corbyn would be electorally disastrous. None, however, have dented the leftwinger’s status as the favourite to win.
The former PM’s decision to break his silence on the contest drew a divided reaction from his party. Clive Lewis, a new Labour MP and Corbyn supporter, tweeted that Brown was not qualified to lecture on economic credibility.The former PM’s decision to break his silence on the contest drew a divided reaction from his party. Clive Lewis, a new Labour MP and Corbyn supporter, tweeted that Brown was not qualified to lecture on economic credibility.
Before Gordon Brown makes his speech today,read this.Then decide if hes qualified to lecture on 'economic credibility'http://t.co/5qokSITo2HBefore Gordon Brown makes his speech today,read this.Then decide if hes qualified to lecture on 'economic credibility'http://t.co/5qokSITo2H
This in turn drew criticism from other Labour MPs, with the shadow children and families minister, Alison McGovern, replying: “I’m a ‘play the ball, not the person’ sort. But this is a joke. [Gordon Brown] helped millions to better life. And this guy? Not.”This in turn drew criticism from other Labour MPs, with the shadow children and families minister, Alison McGovern, replying: “I’m a ‘play the ball, not the person’ sort. But this is a joke. [Gordon Brown] helped millions to better life. And this guy? Not.”
The other three leadership candidates initially held back from criticising Corbyn over fears it would look as if they were ganging up on the outsider, but they have now all suggested he risks creating turmoil in party. The other three leadership candidates initially held back from criticising Corbyn over fears it would look as if they were ganging up on the outsider, but they have now all suggested that he risks creating turmoil in party.
In an interview with the Sunday People, Andy Burnham claimed electing Corbyn would drag Labour back to the infighting of the 1980s. In an interview with the Sunday People, Andy Burnham claimed electing Corbyn would drag Labour back to the infighting of the 1980s. “I’m the only person in this race who can beat Jeremy,” he said. “In the 80s, we started fighting each other and left the way clear for Margaret Thatcher to bulldoze her way through Labour communities. I’m not going to let that happen this time.”
“I’m the only person in this race who can beat Jeremy,” he said. “In the 80s, we started fighting each other and left the way clear for Margaret Thatcher to bulldoze her way through Labour communities. I’m not going to let that happen this time.” Burnham’s claim that he is the “stop Corbyn” candidate was challenged by the shadow universities minister and Yvette Cooper supporter, Liam Byrne, on Sunday. He wrote a blog saying Cooper’s internal phonebanking data showed around 66% of Burnham and Liz Kendall’s second-preference votes going to Cooper, which he argued would be enough to push her into first place.
Burnham’s claim that he is the “stop Corbyn” candidate was challenged by the shadow universities minister and Yvette Cooper supporter, Liam Byrne, on Sunday. As Burnham and Cooper battle to be seen as the main challenger to Corbyn, a ComRes study of 2,035 adults for the Independent on Sunday and Sunday Mirror found that 31% of those polled thought the leftwinger would worsen Labour’s prospects of electoral success. Twenty-one per cent, however, thought Corbyn would improve the party’s prospects, putting him ahead of Burnham on 19%, Cooper on 15% and Kendall on 11%.
He wrote a blog saying Cooper’s internal phonebanking data showed around 66% of Burnham and Liz Kendall’s second preference votes going to Cooper, which he argued would be enough to push her into first place.
As Burnham and Cooper battle to be seen as the main challenger to Corbyn, a ComRes study of 2,035 adults for the Independent on Sunday and Sunday Mirror found that 31% of those polled thought the leftwinger would worsen Labour’s prospects of electoral success.
Twenty-one percent, however, thought Corbyn would improve the party’s prospects, putting him ahead of Burnham on 19%, Cooper on 15% and Kendall on 11%.
A Survation poll on Friday found that Corbyn ranked the highest of all the candidates on a range of questions about his personality and politics. Burnham had a narrow lead on who would be best as prime minister by 25% to 24%, but the two men tied at 26% on who would be most likely to win the 2020 election.A Survation poll on Friday found that Corbyn ranked the highest of all the candidates on a range of questions about his personality and politics. Burnham had a narrow lead on who would be best as prime minister by 25% to 24%, but the two men tied at 26% on who would be most likely to win the 2020 election.
After a week of intense attacks from senior Labour figures about his credibility as a leader, Corbyn sought to calm fears on Sunday that he would have an anti-business agenda by setting out plans to support entrepreneurs and small traders. After a week of intense attacks from senior Labour figures about his credibility as a leader, Corbyn sought to calm fears that he would have an anti-business agenda by setting out plans to support entrepreneurs and small traders. He told the Observer: “The current government seems to think ‘pro-business’ means giving a green light to corporate tax avoiders and private monopolies. I will stand up for small businesses, independent entrepreneurs and the growing number of enterprises that want to cooperate and innovate for the public good.”
He told the Observer: “The current government seems to think ‘pro-business’ means giving a green light to corporate tax avoiders and private monopolies. I will stand up for small businesses, independent entrepreneurs and the growing number of enterprises that want to cooperate and innovate for the public good.”
Corbyn has dismissed all criticism of his suitability as a leader by saying he does not do personal attacks or respond to abuse.Corbyn has dismissed all criticism of his suitability as a leader by saying he does not do personal attacks or respond to abuse.