Corbyn criticised over his ‘scruffy’ anorak
JEREMY CORBYN has been criticised for wearing an anorak to the Armistice Day service at the Cenotaph.
The Labour leader was accused of a “lack of respect”, with critics describing his navy blue coat as “scruffy” and inappropriate for the occasion.
It comes three years after Mr Corbyn faced a backlash for allegedly failing to bow properly after laying a wreath.
Yesterday, he risked similar outrage when he stood beside Theresa May and her predecessors – all dressed in black overcoats bearing traditional poppies – in a jacket with the hood protruding.
The image drew comparisons with Michael Foot, the former party leader, who was accused of wearing a “donkey jacket” to the service in 1981.
Julia Hartley-brewer, the radio presenter, wrote on Twitter: “I know it’s petty, but does Jeremy Corbyn seriously think that a bright red tie and a scruffy hooded coat are appropriate wear for the Cenotaph? Or is he just trying to signal to his leftie anti-war chums that he doesn’t really want to be there? Such poor judgment.”
Ben Youngman added: “Nice to see that Jeremy Corbyn has turned up for Remembrance Day dressed as a scruffy geography teacher.”
Ayesha Hazarika, a former aide to Ed Miliband, said there were plenty of reasons to be dismayed by Mr Corbyn, but his choice of coat “really isn’t here or there in the grand scheme of things”.
Baron Wood of Anfield, a former adviser to Gordon Brown, contrasted Mr Corbyn with Donald Trump, who caused anger yesterday by citing poor weather as his reason for missing an Armistice service.
He said “turning up in an everyday raincoat” was better than “refusing to turn up to keep your expensive raincoat dry”.