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| What are Jeremy Corbyn's most urgent priorities? | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| 1. ‘Get the band back together’ | 1. ‘Get the band back together’ |
| Corbyn will have to reach out to members of the parliamentary Labour party to broker a peace deal – and have a strategy to develop better relations with the party’s headquarters, including party secretary, Iain McNicol, a relationship which may be beyond salvation. | Corbyn will have to reach out to members of the parliamentary Labour party to broker a peace deal – and have a strategy to develop better relations with the party’s headquarters, including party secretary, Iain McNicol, a relationship which may be beyond salvation. |
| The party is in deadlock over how to persuade MPs to return to frontline politics – with dozens of positions unfilled on the current frontbench – or MPs taking on a number of different briefs. Certain MPs, including shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, are currently shadowing more than one minister and may need their loads lightened. Several prominent backbenchers, including Dan Jarvis and Jon Healey, are thought to be mulling a return to shadow cabinet. | The party is in deadlock over how to persuade MPs to return to frontline politics – with dozens of positions unfilled on the current frontbench – or MPs taking on a number of different briefs. Certain MPs, including shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, are currently shadowing more than one minister and may need their loads lightened. Several prominent backbenchers, including Dan Jarvis and Jon Healey, are thought to be mulling a return to shadow cabinet. |
| The leader’s relationship with his deputy leader, Tom Watson, is one both will have to work hard to repair, and compromise over shadow cabinet elections could have been a way to solve the impasse, but that is thought to be less likely now and formal discussions will be delayed until the NEC away day in November. | The leader’s relationship with his deputy leader, Tom Watson, is one both will have to work hard to repair, and compromise over shadow cabinet elections could have been a way to solve the impasse, but that is thought to be less likely now and formal discussions will be delayed until the NEC away day in November. |
| Corbyn is thought to have been wary of being “imprisoned” in a shadow cabinet of hostile MPs and the leadership believes it will be possible to attract enough MPs back to the frontbench without elections by MPs. | Corbyn is thought to have been wary of being “imprisoned” in a shadow cabinet of hostile MPs and the leadership believes it will be possible to attract enough MPs back to the frontbench without elections by MPs. |
| The Labour leader has agreed to enter mediation talks, likely to involve the party’s chief whip, Rosie Winterton, and the parliamentary Labour party’s chairman, John Cryer. | The Labour leader has agreed to enter mediation talks, likely to involve the party’s chief whip, Rosie Winterton, and the parliamentary Labour party’s chairman, John Cryer. |
| Corbyn’s team will also need to be decisive on their relationship with the party’s management, especially over their future relationship with McNicol, who was openly criticised by the campaign for the party’s decision to defend the NEC when it was taken to court by members unable to vote in the leadership election. | Corbyn’s team will also need to be decisive on their relationship with the party’s management, especially over their future relationship with McNicol, who was openly criticised by the campaign for the party’s decision to defend the NEC when it was taken to court by members unable to vote in the leadership election. |
| McNicol’s speech at conference on Sunday appeared to have some words of support for Corbyn’s critics, saying he would always defend party staff “whenever they come under attack” and explicitly praised the PLP, saying MPs were “Labour through and through, and deserving of our wholehearted gratitude and support.” | McNicol’s speech at conference on Sunday appeared to have some words of support for Corbyn’s critics, saying he would always defend party staff “whenever they come under attack” and explicitly praised the PLP, saying MPs were “Labour through and through, and deserving of our wholehearted gratitude and support.” |
| 2. Lay out Labour’s strategy for Brexit – and stick to it | 2. Lay out Labour’s strategy for Brexit – and stick to it |
| The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has already laid out what he says are the party’s “red lines” on Brexit, which included guarantees on workers’ rights, maximising free trade, and protecting the City, though with some reform of the financial services sector. | The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has already laid out what he says are the party’s “red lines” on Brexit, which included guarantees on workers’ rights, maximising free trade, and protecting the City, though with some reform of the financial services sector. |
| There are key questions, however, over Corbyn’s position on both the single market and freedom of movement. “When Britain leaves the EU, free movement of people will come to an end,” McDonnell said in July, later clarifying that was intended as a statement of fact rather than a preference. | There are key questions, however, over Corbyn’s position on both the single market and freedom of movement. “When Britain leaves the EU, free movement of people will come to an end,” McDonnell said in July, later clarifying that was intended as a statement of fact rather than a preference. |
| Corbyn’s team have also briefed that the leadership may not be prepared to campaign to stay in the single market – which sets them at odds with what many pro-remain Labour MPs would hope and expect Labour to say. | Corbyn’s team have also briefed that the leadership may not be prepared to campaign to stay in the single market – which sets them at odds with what many pro-remain Labour MPs would hope and expect Labour to say. |
| With the Lib Dems already publishing their plans for an 11-point “best case” Brexit, Corbyn will need to set out the Labour position on the crucial issues of the single market and free movement, with a message the majority of Labour MPs can stick to and defend. | With the Lib Dems already publishing their plans for an 11-point “best case” Brexit, Corbyn will need to set out the Labour position on the crucial issues of the single market and free movement, with a message the majority of Labour MPs can stick to and defend. |
| If not, there are plenty of rebels prepared to agitate over this, especially with high-profile MPs taking a different stance, with Chuka Umunna leading the new Brexit scrutiny group Vote Leave Watch, and others, including Hilary Benn and Emma Reynolds, preparing to compete for the chairmanship of the new Brexit select committee. | If not, there are plenty of rebels prepared to agitate over this, especially with high-profile MPs taking a different stance, with Chuka Umunna leading the new Brexit scrutiny group Vote Leave Watch, and others, including Hilary Benn and Emma Reynolds, preparing to compete for the chairmanship of the new Brexit select committee. |
| 3. Prepare Labour’s response to the autumn statement | 3. Prepare Labour’s response to the autumn statement |
| Last year, Labour’s response to the autumn statement in the House of Commons was mainly memorable for McDonnell throwing a copy of Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book at George Osborne. It may have been an attempted joke at the then chancellor’s closeness to the Chinese but the overriding image was McDonnell waving the doctrine of a famous Communist leader. | Last year, Labour’s response to the autumn statement in the House of Commons was mainly memorable for McDonnell throwing a copy of Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book at George Osborne. It may have been an attempted joke at the then chancellor’s closeness to the Chinese but the overriding image was McDonnell waving the doctrine of a famous Communist leader. |
| This year, Philip Hammond is thought to be preparing a modest loosening of the government’s purse strings, including infrastructure projects, which may require McDonnell to be fast on his feet in response. | This year, Philip Hammond is thought to be preparing a modest loosening of the government’s purse strings, including infrastructure projects, which may require McDonnell to be fast on his feet in response. |
| The party will also need to prepare a robust answer to the government’s post-Brexit funding plans, including Hammond’s guarantee of £4.5bn for projects currently funded by the EU after the UK leaves the union, including in agriculture, science and infrastructure. | The party will also need to prepare a robust answer to the government’s post-Brexit funding plans, including Hammond’s guarantee of £4.5bn for projects currently funded by the EU after the UK leaves the union, including in agriculture, science and infrastructure. |
| Corbyn’s treasury team will need to be sharp-eyed during the statement for any deviation from Damian Green’s pledge that there would be no further welfare cuts. The minister also hinted pensions rather than welfare could be an area for future savings, saying he accepted they needed to “look over time at the area of intergenerational fairness”. | Corbyn’s treasury team will need to be sharp-eyed during the statement for any deviation from Damian Green’s pledge that there would be no further welfare cuts. The minister also hinted pensions rather than welfare could be an area for future savings, saying he accepted they needed to “look over time at the area of intergenerational fairness”. |
| Labour will also need to put meat on the bones of economic pledges made by the leader during the leadership election campaign, including his plan for national and regional investment banks, and £500bn of infrastructure and manufacturing spending. | Labour will also need to put meat on the bones of economic pledges made by the leader during the leadership election campaign, including his plan for national and regional investment banks, and £500bn of infrastructure and manufacturing spending. |
| 4. Build up a general election war chest in time for May snap election | 4. Build up a general election war chest in time for May snap election |
| With Labour weak in the polls and facing a potential rebellion over both Brexit and grammar schools, there may be pressure for Theresa May to call a general election in the spring of 2017 – though it is still unlikely. | With Labour weak in the polls and facing a potential rebellion over both Brexit and grammar schools, there may be pressure for Theresa May to call a general election in the spring of 2017 – though it is still unlikely. |
| Nevertheless, Corbyn will want his party to be better prepared than its current state. There are now more than 600,000 Labour members, which should be a major asset to the ground war at a general election, but many are new to party politics and will need coaching in door-knocking, leafleting and canvassing. | Nevertheless, Corbyn will want his party to be better prepared than its current state. There are now more than 600,000 Labour members, which should be a major asset to the ground war at a general election, but many are new to party politics and will need coaching in door-knocking, leafleting and canvassing. |
| The campaign has already pledged to create Labour “organising academies” across the country, to train members to work in community organising. | The campaign has already pledged to create Labour “organising academies” across the country, to train members to work in community organising. |
| Labour will also need to kickstart policy-making through the national policy forum, in order to put together the backbone of a new manifesto. Corbyn has long campaigned for democratisation of the party and would like to see members given more of a say over policy formation. | Labour will also need to kickstart policy-making through the national policy forum, in order to put together the backbone of a new manifesto. Corbyn has long campaigned for democratisation of the party and would like to see members given more of a say over policy formation. |
| 5. Organise the opposition to grammar schools | 5. Organise the opposition to grammar schools |
| This is one issue that will unite the party, and Corbyn won his first cheers from the backbenches in months when he tore into May’s flagship schools policy at prime minister’s questions earlier this month. It could yet be a morale-boosting win for the party, but to do that the leadership will need to coordinate with other parties in the House of Commons. | This is one issue that will unite the party, and Corbyn won his first cheers from the backbenches in months when he tore into May’s flagship schools policy at prime minister’s questions earlier this month. It could yet be a morale-boosting win for the party, but to do that the leadership will need to coordinate with other parties in the House of Commons. |
| Corbyn has been reluctant to do so in the past, especially with parties to the right of his, but the Lib Dems’ Tim Farron has voiced his determination to fight the proposal and many moderates on the Tory backbenches could mount a rebellion against the bill. | Corbyn has been reluctant to do so in the past, especially with parties to the right of his, but the Lib Dems’ Tim Farron has voiced his determination to fight the proposal and many moderates on the Tory backbenches could mount a rebellion against the bill. |
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