Head to head: Why I joined the Labour party – and why I’m thinking of leaving
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Version 0 of 1. Andrew Moore: ‘Corbyn is a breath of fresh air’ I joined the Labour party about an hour before Jeremy Corbyn gave his conference speech in Brighton. Watching with interest as Corbyn gained more and more support during the Labour election campaign, it felt as if he spoke a language that was honest, and that the public could really understand. I was convinced to join by his stance on Trident. Here was a man who could potentially be prime minister, saying that he felt money spent on a redundant weapon of mass destruction could be better invested in the infrastructure of the UK. To me, this made perfect sense. Since then I have been increasingly impressed with Corbyn’s leadership. His position on Syria was refreshing as he again spoke up for those of us who saw Britain’s involvement in another international conflict as a huge risk. The fact that he gave Labour MPs a free vote on the subject further showed that he was not the fool that the rightwing press would have us believe. Related: Jeremy Corbyn hails 'vote of confidence' after Labour win Oldham byelection But the thing I have been most impressed with has been his engagement with the public. Every Monday I submit a question for prime minister’s questions (PMQs) that could be put to the prime minister. This alone gives me the impression that my thoughts matter – something that the average person in the street has been crying out for. It is a bit of a cliche to say that someone is a “breath of fresh air” in politics, but it is hard to disagree with that statement in relation to Corbyn. Without his attempt to widen the debate I would say that the average person wouldn’t feel confident to challenge the views of the establishment. The result of the Oldham West byelection was very encouraging, if not a complete vindication of Corbyn’s impact on the Labour party, as Jim McMahon fought off competition from Ukip to hold the seat with 62% of the vote. It has certainly been a positive start for Corbyn, and I hope this will continues through until 2020. Kate Levey: ‘Corbyn’s dithering is disastrous’ Jeremy Corbyn combined vision with vigour, or so I thought when I rejoined Labour during his election campaign. I was impressed by his impassioned oratory, confidence and crowd-drawing charisma. Now I despair. I’m trying not to overreact, but as leader of the opposition Corbyn’s twin failings – in policy substance and in political style – place me once again on the horns of a “Labour dilemma”. I’m asking myself whether I have been duped, in turn, by Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and now Corbyn. Life as a Corbynista is frustrating: his intentions are sound, his integrity a welcome antidote to cynicism, but his dithering over policy is disastrous and his demeanour both in the Commons and in media interviews is that of a hapless geography teacher. Why is he still dallying in the shallows? Will he never dive in? He seems to think he has the luxury of time on his side, enough time in which to reform the inherent cattiness of British politics. This is nonsense, and displays a worrying prioritisation. His reliance on Labour members’ questions at PMQs is cowardly: it is as though he has lost his own voice, the voice he was elected to use on our behalf. No wonder the bullies on the government benches bay; politics demands a killer instinct. Such an instinct needs to be kept in check, to be verbalised and mediated intellectually, but it cannot be absent in an effective politician. In Corbyn I fear we have a dentist too gentle to pull a rotten tooth. Integrity in politics is facile if not accompanied by the requisite “grit” within the word itself. On the question of bombing in Syria, he was wrong to put narrow Labour party peace ahead of the ethics of peace. In pulling his punches at that most critical moment for Labour he has let me down. My relief at Corbyn’s election has mutated into anxiety, and my optimism about the future of the party is in doubt. |