What Corbyn’s grip on Labour really means
Labour’s surprisingly strong showing in the general election was the worst possible result for its moderate MPS and for those who want a mainstream social democratic opposition. Labour lost but Jeremy Corbyn’s grip on the party has strengthened dramatically. And with Mr Corbyn comes an increasingly powerful and dominant grassroots organisation that is not above using intimidation to get what it wants. Of course, some of the people who voted Labour agree with Mr Corbyn, but millions may not realise what they have in effect endorsed.
Take Labour MP Luciana Berger, whose local party was this week captured by the hard-left. Ms Berger has previously been the target of vicious abuse, some of it anti-semitic. She has now been told by local activists that she must apologise for her pre-election opposition to Mr Corbyn and that she will be answerable to them on matters of policy. Meanwhile, a Momentum group in South Tyneside has published a list of over 50 moderate Labour MPS it thinks belong outside the party, and there is speculation that Mr Corbyn could bring back mandatory re-selection. Chris Williamson, a shadow minister and ally of the leader, said this would help “concentrate minds”.
Aside from tweeting support for Ms Berger, what are Labour moderates going to do? Many of them demanded that Ken Livingstone be ejected from Labour over his obsession with Adolf Hitler – but the suspended Mr Livingstone is still in the party and, just as importantly, so are they. The moderates have failed miserably on all counts, and those who have rushed to endorse Mr Corbyn post-election, or beg him for a job, are guilty of gutless surrender. It is within their power to criticise the leadership, resign their shadow-cabinet positions in protest or even set up a new party. Mr Corbyn has condemned abuse towards politicians and journalists, yes, but it is his leadership that legitimises the far-left.
Mr Corbyn’s media image evolved during the election. His politics did not. Only now is it becoming clear to Remain voters that Labour is committed to Brexit. With Mr Corbyn suddenly looking electable, it will hopefully become more widely understood that he is borderline pacifist on defence, has associated himself with extremists, favours tax-and-spend policies that would wreck the economy and is backed by a fanatical movement bent on purging Labour’s once broad church.