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Sun shines on Jeremy Corbyn once more after byelection victory Sun shines on Jeremy Corbyn once more after Oldham byelection victory
(about 1 hour later)
Before the Oldham result, it had been a tough few days for the Labour party. By Thursday evening the problems were piling up, with Jeremy Corbyn unable to control his shadow cabinet over Syria, the shadow foreign secretary Hillary Benn feted for making a brilliant speech in direct contradiction to the leader, and allegations of abuse and intimidation licensed by the Corbyn’s office flying around. Before the Oldham byelection result, problems had been piling up for the Labour party: Jeremy Corbyn was unable to control his shadow cabinet over Syria; the shadow foreign secretary, Hilary Benn, was feted for making a brilliant speech in direct contradiction to the leader; and allegations of abuse and intimidation licensed by the Corbyn’s office were flying around.
It was not just that some Labour MPs had clashed with Corbyn on fundamental issues of security. In private they were in despair with him, describing him as totally useless and his operation a joke.It was not just that some Labour MPs had clashed with Corbyn on fundamental issues of security. In private they were in despair with him, describing him as totally useless and his operation a joke.
On Thursday evening Clive Lewis – the Labour MP for Norwich South and a key figure in Corbyn’s party leadership campaign – admitted the party was “in a very dark place”, and another ally privately admitted Corbyn was trapped. Suspicion and paranoia reined in the higher echelons of the leader’s camp. On Thursday evening Clive Lewis – the Labour MP for Norwich South and a key figure in Corbyn’s party leadership campaign – admitted the party was “in a very dark place”; another ally privately admitted Corbyn was trapped. Suspicion and paranoia reined in the higher echelons of the leader’s camp.
Related: Shock all round as Labour strolls to Oldham byelection victoryRelated: Shock all round as Labour strolls to Oldham byelection victory
If as some forecast, including many party activists, the white working class had deserted Labour on Thursday night in the Oldham West and Royton byelection, then the wheel on the tumbrils would have started to be oiled in preparation for a guillotine after the spring elections. If, as many party activists forecast, the white working class had deserted Labour on Thursday night in Oldham West and Royton, the wheel on the tumbrils would have started to be oiled in preparation for a guillotine after the spring elections.
Instead, the mood has suddenly lifted, and despite predictions from some that Labour would only scrape home, Corbyn’s first sustained meeting with the British electorate has not only revealed that the UK Independence party’s (Ukip) long-term threat to Labour across the north can be seen off with the right campaign, it has reopened the argument about Corbyn’s electability. At the very least, it helps put Corbyn’s whole week in a different perspective. After all, not everything went against him. Instead, the mood has suddenly lifted. And despite predictions from some that Labour would only scrape home, Corbyn’s first sustained meeting with the British electorate has not only revealed that Ukip ’s long-term threat to Labour across the north can be seen off with the right campaign, it has reopened the argument about Corbyn’s electability. At the very least, it helps put Corbyn’s whole week in a different perspective. After all, not everything went against him.
Two thirds of the parliamentary party backed his judgement on opposing air strikes in Syria. Only 11 of the 28 voting members of the shadow cabinet backed the prime minister. Suggestions that he only had four allies were untrue. Moreover. Corbyn is politically now well positioned to criticise the inevitable set backs – military and diplomatic – in the long campaign against Islamic State (Isis). Two-thirds of the parliamentary party backed his judgment on opposing air strikes in Syria. Only 11 of the 28 voting members of the shadow cabinet backed the prime minister. Suggestions that he only had four allies were untrue. Moreover, Corbyn is now politically well positioned to criticise the inevitable setbacks – military and diplomatic – in the long campaign against Islamic State (Isis).
Buried elsewhere in the week was other cheery news for Corbyn. An Evening Standard/YouGov poll showed Sadiq Khan, the Labour candidate, well ahead of his Tory rival Zac Goldsmith for the London mayoralty elections in May. Given a choice between Khan and Goldsmith, the former held a 53% to 47% lead among likely voters. The local English elections may still be difficult since they held against a benchmark of 2011 when Labour did well, but on the basis of Oldham, Corbyn will not fear his next date with the electorate.Buried elsewhere in the week was other cheery news for Corbyn. An Evening Standard/YouGov poll showed Sadiq Khan, the Labour candidate, well ahead of his Tory rival Zac Goldsmith for the London mayoralty elections in May. Given a choice between Khan and Goldsmith, the former held a 53% to 47% lead among likely voters. The local English elections may still be difficult since they held against a benchmark of 2011 when Labour did well, but on the basis of Oldham, Corbyn will not fear his next date with the electorate.
But the immediate issue is whether Corbyn and the MPs critical of him can respond to this changed landscape by agreeing a truce. But the immediate issue is whether Corbyn and the MPs critical of him can respond to this changed landscape by agreeing a truce. Judging by a text received a little after midnight, some in the party are in no mood to give the party leader much credit. It read “worth remembering that Corbyn’s office signed off leaflets and campaign plan that deliberately sidelined Corbyn and national politics and accentuated local politics. They know that Jim McMahon was electable because he was a great centrist candidate”.
Judging by a text received a little after midnight, some in the party are in no mood to give the party leader much credit. It read “worth remembering that Corbyn’s office signed off leaflets and campaign plan that deliberately sidelined Corbyn and national politics and accentuated local politics. They know that Jim McMahon was electable because he was a great centrist candidate”. It is also unlikely McMahon privately ascribes his victory to the working class response to Corbyn’s politics. He once observed if most working people were asked the source of their ills “they won’t blame the bankers, they blame their neighbours”. But the moderates probably realise Oldham has given him a breathing space. The tumbril is back in the garage.
It is also unlikely McMahon privately ascribes his victory to the working class response to Corbyn’s politics. He once observed if most working people were asked the source of their ills “they won’t blame the bankers, they blame their neighbours”.
But the moderates probably realise Oldham has given him a breathing space. The tumbril is back in the garage.
The question now is whether Corbyn is emboldened to take on those unreconciled to his election by forcing through organisational and political changes to strengthen his power base, or instead sees this as opportunity to dial down on the internal politics. Some of his closest allies say he wants to find a way to reunify his party, find a better working relationship with the shadow cabinet and start focussing outwards on a domestic policy agenda, rather than internal manoeuvring. John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, for instance is making ground on mapping out a new economy.The question now is whether Corbyn is emboldened to take on those unreconciled to his election by forcing through organisational and political changes to strengthen his power base, or instead sees this as opportunity to dial down on the internal politics. Some of his closest allies say he wants to find a way to reunify his party, find a better working relationship with the shadow cabinet and start focussing outwards on a domestic policy agenda, rather than internal manoeuvring. John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, for instance is making ground on mapping out a new economy.
Related: You would think that those who vote for bombs could deal with a few trolls | Marina HydeRelated: You would think that those who vote for bombs could deal with a few trolls | Marina Hyde
But mass emails pressuring MPs drafted in the leaders office, unverifiable membership consultations, lecturing MPs that they have “no hiding place” and asserting baldly that he, and not the shadow cabinet, decide the party whip, has bred resentment about Corbyn’s leadership. But mass emails, drafted in the leader’s office, pressuring MPs; unverifiable membership consultations; the lecturing of MPs that they have “no hiding place”, and asserting baldly that he, and not the shadow cabinet, decide the party whip, has bred resentment about Corbyn’s leadership.
Tom Watson, the deputy leader, may now have to act as the burly bridge between the angry MPs and the leader. His proposal for a party code of conduct on social media, under discussion for weeks, seems a start since the sheer abuse and threats has spiralled out of control, coarsening and distorting debate. The difficulty is much of the worst cyber abuse probably comes from people outside the party.Tom Watson, the deputy leader, may now have to act as the burly bridge between the angry MPs and the leader. His proposal for a party code of conduct on social media, under discussion for weeks, seems a start since the sheer abuse and threats has spiralled out of control, coarsening and distorting debate. The difficulty is much of the worst cyber abuse probably comes from people outside the party.
However, Watson seems more reluctant to challenge the status of the leftwing group Momentum, preferring to dismiss it as an irrelevance rather than something sinister.However, Watson seems more reluctant to challenge the status of the leftwing group Momentum, preferring to dismiss it as an irrelevance rather than something sinister.
Momentum’s allies say it seeks to keep Labour open to the wider left forces that helped Corbyn win the leadership in the first place, but critics say it legitimises non-party left voices in Labour. Groups such as Left Unity, Alliance of Workers Liberty and the Socialist Party – none in the Labour Party – frequently crop up in local Momentum groups and end up leading the call for deselection of “Blairite Labour MPs. Momentum’s allies say it seeks to keep Labour open to the wider left forces that helped Corbyn win the leadership in the first place, but critics say it legitimises non-party left voices in Labour. Groups such as Left Unity, Alliance of Workers Liberty and the Socialist party – none in the Labour party – frequently crop up in local Momentum groups and end up leading the call for deselection of “Blairite” Labour MPs.
Corbyn comes from an honourable tradition where there are ‘no enemies on the Left’, and so is reluctant to think in terms of entryism. But if Corbyn does not want a kinder, gentler politics, he may need to be less kind and gentle to those that make the focal point of their politics the deselection of Labour MPs. Corbyn comes from an honourable tradition where there are no enemies on the left, and so is reluctant to think in terms of entryism. But if Corbyn does not want a kinder, gentler politics, he may need to be less kind and gentle to those that make the focal point of their politics the deselection of Labour MPs.