Conference catcalls for leaders of both parties
NO SOONER had Labour activists at their party conference booked into their hotels than they were already sharpening their knives to get rid of senior people in the party with whom they disagreed.
First on their list was Tom Watson, the deputy leader who does not agree with Jeremy Corbyn on Brexit.
Nevertheless Corbyn came to his rescue and he seems to have survived this attempt to ambush him.
At the time of writing, it looks as though the conference might get under way on a reasonably even keel although there is enough backbiting within the movement to create plenty of trouble during the next few days.
Corbyn will have to have his eyes wide open to ensure that people do not try to wreck the party’s efforts to unite over Brexit in the final run-up.
Rarely before has the Labour party been in such turmoil before a party conference but it should be becoming clear now to most sensible supporters that unless they unite there will be further trouble ahead for Labour.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives embark on their party conference the following week – mercifully, the last week of the party conference season.
Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, has many enemies in the rank and file and his problems may be just as serious as Corbyn’s, when he attempts to calm down those who seek trouble within the movement.
Brexit, especially for the Tories, will always be a bugbear, and it remains to be seen whether Johnson can reach some kind of agreement on his chosen day October 31, the date on which he has said the UK will leave the European Union come what may.