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National anthem furore proves Corbyn must pick his battles more carefully National anthem furore proves Corbyn must pick his battles more carefully
(about 1 hour later)
As Jeremy Corbyn prepares for his first crowd sourced prime minister’s questions, his shadow cabinet are in open revolt about his refusal to sing the national anthem and his decision to announce at the TUC annual congress that the party opposed the welfare benefits cap. As Jeremy Corbyn prepares for his first crowd-sourced prime minister’s questions, his shadow cabinet are in open revolt about his refusal to sing the national anthem and his decision to announce at the TUC annual congress that the party opposed the welfare benefits cap.
Except in the new world of Labour, the concept of a revolt may be redundant – as archaic as thinking the post of health secretary is less important than the chancellorship.Except in the new world of Labour, the concept of a revolt may be redundant – as archaic as thinking the post of health secretary is less important than the chancellorship.
Corbyn has said he wishes to let a thousand flowers bloom, and his shadow ministers will be free to speak their own mind. Collective discipline is not a requirement. They certainly have spoken their mind, dissenting over his silence to the national anthem and his change of welfare policy.Corbyn has said he wishes to let a thousand flowers bloom, and his shadow ministers will be free to speak their own mind. Collective discipline is not a requirement. They certainly have spoken their mind, dissenting over his silence to the national anthem and his change of welfare policy.
Related: Corbyn promises consensual politics in first 'crowd-sourced' PMQsRelated: Corbyn promises consensual politics in first 'crowd-sourced' PMQs
The difficulty is that Corbyn regards the row over the national anthem as tittle-tattle, and if he had sung God the Save the Queen he would have been accused of hypocrisy. He is a Republican – as is this newspaper – and the true authentic in him decided he should stand in respectful silence, a lot better than many English footballers who chew gum and adjust their expensive hairstyles during the national anthems. The difficulty is that Corbyn regards the row over the national anthem as tittle-tattle, and if he had sung God the Save the Queen he would have been accused of hypocrisy. He is a republican – as is this newspaper – and the true authentic in him decided he should stand in respectful silence, a lot better than many English footballers who chew gum and adjust their expensive hairstyles during the national anthems.
But for many Labour MPs, after surveying the mainstream media, it will be a question of choosing his battles more carefully. This week is a precious opportunity for him to introduce himself to the public. It does not come round a second time. There is only is much media bandwidth, even on Twitter.But for many Labour MPs, after surveying the mainstream media, it will be a question of choosing his battles more carefully. This week is a precious opportunity for him to introduce himself to the public. It does not come round a second time. There is only is much media bandwidth, even on Twitter.
If you are forced into a battle about Republicanism and respecting the national anthem, you are fighting a battle you do not need to join, and are very unlikely to win. Culturally, you look outside the mainstream. If you are forced into a battle about republicanism and respecting the national anthem, you are fighting a battle you do not need to join, and are very unlikely to win. Culturally, you look outside the mainstream.
The Queen, for better or worse, is probably the most popular single living being in the UK. She may represent the worst of the herditary principle, but there is no prospect she is going to be dethroned and the Speaker is going to be made president. The Queen, for better or worse, is probably the most popular single living being in the UK. She may represent the worst of the hereditary principle, but there is no prospect she is going to be dethroned and the Speaker is going to be made president.
Message discipline is not leftwing or rightwing. It is the commonsense way any politician in any country in the modern era seeks to persuade the public.Message discipline is not leftwing or rightwing. It is the commonsense way any politician in any country in the modern era seeks to persuade the public.
The shame is Corbyn had a perfectly decent message to convey, and his TUC speech delivered in his own sometimes attractive style was effective. He supports trade unionism, believes passionately in equality and regards the Tories as poverty deniers – a decent way of throwing back the accusation that Labour MPs are deficit deniers. The cuts in tax credits are wrong since they hit the working poor, the strivers that George Osborne lauds.The shame is Corbyn had a perfectly decent message to convey, and his TUC speech delivered in his own sometimes attractive style was effective. He supports trade unionism, believes passionately in equality and regards the Tories as poverty deniers – a decent way of throwing back the accusation that Labour MPs are deficit deniers. The cuts in tax credits are wrong since they hit the working poor, the strivers that George Osborne lauds.
Related: Corbyn's TUC address shows Labour politics is a new game nowRelated: Corbyn's TUC address shows Labour politics is a new game now
But Corbyn also made an error in announcing that he did not believe in a welfare benefits cap at all, so overturning the carefully crafted compromise in the Labour manifesto.But Corbyn also made an error in announcing that he did not believe in a welfare benefits cap at all, so overturning the carefully crafted compromise in the Labour manifesto.
The party has been through tribulations over the cap for the past three years, struggling to come to an agreed position and aware of how popular the Conservative policy has proved with the public.The party has been through tribulations over the cap for the past three years, struggling to come to an agreed position and aware of how popular the Conservative policy has proved with the public.
It is not sensible for him unilaterally to announce a change in policy. He may argue he was expressing a personal opinion but, as others have pointed out this week, Neil Kinnock famously said there is no such thing as a personal opinion if you are leader of the Labour party. He cannot denounce the previous leadership for arbitrarily announcing policy and then do the same.It is not sensible for him unilaterally to announce a change in policy. He may argue he was expressing a personal opinion but, as others have pointed out this week, Neil Kinnock famously said there is no such thing as a personal opinion if you are leader of the Labour party. He cannot denounce the previous leadership for arbitrarily announcing policy and then do the same.
The adjustment from life on the backbenches to the leadership of the opposition was always going to be fraught, and many will find his change in approach refreshing, including the idea of crowdsourcing questions for PMQs.The adjustment from life on the backbenches to the leadership of the opposition was always going to be fraught, and many will find his change in approach refreshing, including the idea of crowdsourcing questions for PMQs.
Many will say his recasting of what leadership constitutes fits with our more vertical digital world. But there are some laws in politics, and not all of them can broken, or at least not in the first four days.Many will say his recasting of what leadership constitutes fits with our more vertical digital world. But there are some laws in politics, and not all of them can broken, or at least not in the first four days.