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| Divisions over Jeremy Corbyn threaten to split Labour | Divisions over Jeremy Corbyn threaten to split Labour |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| The likely Labour leadership election is starting to resemble the theatre of the absurd (Join Labour to vote out ‘vain’ Corbyn, urges Kinnock, 9 July), as Angela Eagle is touted as the most likely candidate to defeat Corbyn. I actually voted for her 10 months ago in the deputy leadership election where she finished a poor fourth out of five, hardly a ringing endorsement of her election-winning qualities. Meanwhile, the candidate for whom I voted in the leadership election and who won an incredible 60% mandate with over a quarter of a million votes is subject to an attempt to keep him off the ballot paper. | The likely Labour leadership election is starting to resemble the theatre of the absurd (Join Labour to vote out ‘vain’ Corbyn, urges Kinnock, 9 July), as Angela Eagle is touted as the most likely candidate to defeat Corbyn. I actually voted for her 10 months ago in the deputy leadership election where she finished a poor fourth out of five, hardly a ringing endorsement of her election-winning qualities. Meanwhile, the candidate for whom I voted in the leadership election and who won an incredible 60% mandate with over a quarter of a million votes is subject to an attempt to keep him off the ballot paper. |
| While more than 170 Labour MPs have been pursuing this bizarre course of trying to prevent a huge number of party members having the chance to vote for their leader, the Tories have efficiently been coming back together. The media predicted a post-referendum meltdown for the government as the two sides went to war. Instead, despite fighting a leadership election of their own, the Tories have recovered remarkably quickly and in no small part this is because the parliamentary Labour party chose to go to war with its own leader the day after the referendum. Could those MPs who so hate the idea of a socialist leading the Labour party not have waited even a week and instead concentrated on the Brexit disaster that Cameron has foisted upon the country? | While more than 170 Labour MPs have been pursuing this bizarre course of trying to prevent a huge number of party members having the chance to vote for their leader, the Tories have efficiently been coming back together. The media predicted a post-referendum meltdown for the government as the two sides went to war. Instead, despite fighting a leadership election of their own, the Tories have recovered remarkably quickly and in no small part this is because the parliamentary Labour party chose to go to war with its own leader the day after the referendum. Could those MPs who so hate the idea of a socialist leading the Labour party not have waited even a week and instead concentrated on the Brexit disaster that Cameron has foisted upon the country? |
| Their excuse, that they were driven to act because Corbyn gave such grudging support to the remain campaign, shows just how removed from the Labour grassroots the PLP now is. His lack of fervent enthusiasm, but nevertheless balanced recognition that we are better off in the EU than out, will have been much more in accord with the views of many Labour voters than the over-the-top praise of the EU we heard from Corbyn’s critics. Well, let’s hope the Tories can clear up the mess that their referendum has caused and let’s hope those Labour MPs who ignored the membership and undermined Corbyn from the day he was elected as leader can clear up the mess they have now caused.Dr Chris MorrisKidderminster, Worcestershire | Their excuse, that they were driven to act because Corbyn gave such grudging support to the remain campaign, shows just how removed from the Labour grassroots the PLP now is. His lack of fervent enthusiasm, but nevertheless balanced recognition that we are better off in the EU than out, will have been much more in accord with the views of many Labour voters than the over-the-top praise of the EU we heard from Corbyn’s critics. Well, let’s hope the Tories can clear up the mess that their referendum has caused and let’s hope those Labour MPs who ignored the membership and undermined Corbyn from the day he was elected as leader can clear up the mess they have now caused.Dr Chris MorrisKidderminster, Worcestershire |
| • I rejoined the Labour party at the end of June because I share Neil Kinnock’s anger at the vanity (or arrogance) of Jeremy Corbyn in ignoring the views of 80% of democratically elected Labour MPs, including highly respected politicians with experience in government. On 8 July I received an email from Jeremy apologising for Labour’s decision to go to war in Iraq. It stated: “I made this apology because politicians and political parties can only grow stronger by acknowledging when they get it wrong and facing up to their mistakes.” Rather than apologising for a mistake made by someone else over a decade ago, Jeremy could have told Labour members how he proposes to face up to his own leadership failures. These have created a massive chasm within the party. | • I rejoined the Labour party at the end of June because I share Neil Kinnock’s anger at the vanity (or arrogance) of Jeremy Corbyn in ignoring the views of 80% of democratically elected Labour MPs, including highly respected politicians with experience in government. On 8 July I received an email from Jeremy apologising for Labour’s decision to go to war in Iraq. It stated: “I made this apology because politicians and political parties can only grow stronger by acknowledging when they get it wrong and facing up to their mistakes.” Rather than apologising for a mistake made by someone else over a decade ago, Jeremy could have told Labour members how he proposes to face up to his own leadership failures. These have created a massive chasm within the party. |
| Corbyn has said that he is ready to reach out to Labour MPs who oppose his leadership – but he did not tell us when, or how, this is going to happen. While we wait for the answer, the uncertainty continues to damage the party. Political leadership is not just about making speeches, writing articles and sending emails to members. It also has to be about compromise, inclusiveness and, most importantly, leading (and listening to) a team of MPs, in order to deliver change.Hilary WardSaundersfoot, Pembrokeshire | Corbyn has said that he is ready to reach out to Labour MPs who oppose his leadership – but he did not tell us when, or how, this is going to happen. While we wait for the answer, the uncertainty continues to damage the party. Political leadership is not just about making speeches, writing articles and sending emails to members. It also has to be about compromise, inclusiveness and, most importantly, leading (and listening to) a team of MPs, in order to deliver change.Hilary WardSaundersfoot, Pembrokeshire |
| • A large number of Labour MPs have decided they have no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn. But why should anyone have confidence in them? When the list of those competing to be the next leader of the Labour party was published last year, I cannot be the only person who looked at it with dismay. I voted for Jeremy Corbyn because he believed in some things I found reasonable. Corbyn thought Trident was both dangerous and unusable. He also believed, like a number of leading economists, that the direction of economic policy needed to change. | • A large number of Labour MPs have decided they have no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn. But why should anyone have confidence in them? When the list of those competing to be the next leader of the Labour party was published last year, I cannot be the only person who looked at it with dismay. I voted for Jeremy Corbyn because he believed in some things I found reasonable. Corbyn thought Trident was both dangerous and unusable. He also believed, like a number of leading economists, that the direction of economic policy needed to change. |
| I live in an area of the country so solidly Conservative that a vote for Labour has become an exercise in futility. This time, I felt that my vote would count. When Corbyn was duly elected and before he had an opportunity settle in, a group of MPs announced that they would refuse to serve in his shadow cabinet. “How dare they ignore my vote and Labour’s members?” I shouted at the television. If Jeremy Corbyn is forced out by these people, after 60 years of supporting Labour, I will cancel my subscription. The people who are intent on splitting the Labour party are those who refuse to support its elected leader and cannot propose an alternative with even the faintest chance of electoral success.Peter NewsamPickering, North Yorkshire | I live in an area of the country so solidly Conservative that a vote for Labour has become an exercise in futility. This time, I felt that my vote would count. When Corbyn was duly elected and before he had an opportunity settle in, a group of MPs announced that they would refuse to serve in his shadow cabinet. “How dare they ignore my vote and Labour’s members?” I shouted at the television. If Jeremy Corbyn is forced out by these people, after 60 years of supporting Labour, I will cancel my subscription. The people who are intent on splitting the Labour party are those who refuse to support its elected leader and cannot propose an alternative with even the faintest chance of electoral success.Peter NewsamPickering, North Yorkshire |
| • There seem to be an awful lot of professors telling us Jeremy Corbyn is wonderful (Letters, 9 July). I wonder if they would like to come door-knocking with me and tell that to the electorate. As a battle-scarred socialist, I care about winning elections; not for the sake of the Labour party but for the sake of the people who have suffered, do suffer and will continue to suffer under Conservative governments. Jeremy Corbyn will not be a hero for dogmatically leading us into the electoral desert. But he could be a hero if he resigned with dignity, in an agreement on key policy positions, and diverted his supporters’ undoubted passion into united political action against these miserable Tories.Gabrielle CoxManchester | • There seem to be an awful lot of professors telling us Jeremy Corbyn is wonderful (Letters, 9 July). I wonder if they would like to come door-knocking with me and tell that to the electorate. As a battle-scarred socialist, I care about winning elections; not for the sake of the Labour party but for the sake of the people who have suffered, do suffer and will continue to suffer under Conservative governments. Jeremy Corbyn will not be a hero for dogmatically leading us into the electoral desert. But he could be a hero if he resigned with dignity, in an agreement on key policy positions, and diverted his supporters’ undoubted passion into united political action against these miserable Tories.Gabrielle CoxManchester |
| • If those who have been working to destabilise Corbyn’s leadership such as Tony Blair, Rupert Murdoch, Neil Kinnock, Peter Mandelson etc, and MPs such as Angela Eagle now succeed in their coup, then I predict a wholesale move of existing Labour supporters (myself included) to the Greens and electoral losses for the remaining “Labour party” that will eclipse even those suffered by the Lib Dems in the last general election.Tim RossiterCrickhowell, Powys | • If those who have been working to destabilise Corbyn’s leadership such as Tony Blair, Rupert Murdoch, Neil Kinnock, Peter Mandelson etc, and MPs such as Angela Eagle now succeed in their coup, then I predict a wholesale move of existing Labour supporters (myself included) to the Greens and electoral losses for the remaining “Labour party” that will eclipse even those suffered by the Lib Dems in the last general election.Tim RossiterCrickhowell, Powys |
| • The last time this country elected a government of which Jeremy Corbyn would have approved was over 70 years ago. The world and the electorate have changed. You don’t have to like Tony Blair, or what he did to Iraq to concede that he achieved more for ordinary people – increased spending on public services, the minimum wage, a reduction in child poverty, peace in Northern Ireland – than Foot, Kinnock, Miliband or Corbyn combined, by virtue of actually getting elected. | • The last time this country elected a government of which Jeremy Corbyn would have approved was over 70 years ago. The world and the electorate have changed. You don’t have to like Tony Blair, or what he did to Iraq to concede that he achieved more for ordinary people – increased spending on public services, the minimum wage, a reduction in child poverty, peace in Northern Ireland – than Foot, Kinnock, Miliband or Corbyn combined, by virtue of actually getting elected. |
| Jeremy Corbyn and his academic supporters are welcome to speak out from the sidelines against a firmly ensconced Tory government, for all that is going achieve. The rightwing media may be biased, but they exist, and we have to live with it. | Jeremy Corbyn and his academic supporters are welcome to speak out from the sidelines against a firmly ensconced Tory government, for all that is going achieve. The rightwing media may be biased, but they exist, and we have to live with it. |
| The electoral maths is clear. Unless people who voted Tory or Ukip last time vote Labour next time, Labour is never going to win. This is not going to happen under Jeremy Corbyn. After over 20 years as a Labour party member, if Corbyn stays, I’m off.David WearnAlnwick, Northumberland | The electoral maths is clear. Unless people who voted Tory or Ukip last time vote Labour next time, Labour is never going to win. This is not going to happen under Jeremy Corbyn. After over 20 years as a Labour party member, if Corbyn stays, I’m off.David WearnAlnwick, Northumberland |
| • For many years I have not joined the Labour party, believing it would be immoral to join a party in order to change it. Now Neil Kinnock has cleared a narrow moral path for me (“Everyone must join the party ... and vote Jeremy Corbyn out”). To keep the Labour party within touching distance of its founding principles, clearly I must join the party to keep Jeremy Corbyn in.Louise LewisLondon | • For many years I have not joined the Labour party, believing it would be immoral to join a party in order to change it. Now Neil Kinnock has cleared a narrow moral path for me (“Everyone must join the party ... and vote Jeremy Corbyn out”). To keep the Labour party within touching distance of its founding principles, clearly I must join the party to keep Jeremy Corbyn in.Louise LewisLondon |
| • Oh, the irony, Neil Kinnock pleading for entryism to defeat the Labour leadership.Paul RoperHigh Wycombe, Buckinghamshire | • Oh, the irony, Neil Kinnock pleading for entryism to defeat the Labour leadership.Paul RoperHigh Wycombe, Buckinghamshire |
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