Corbynmania? More like gales of laughter at PMQs
JEREMY CORBYN may have swept to victory yesterday –but most Labour MPs are not in the throes of Corbynmania.
He must now pass a series of crucial tests to convince his MPs that our aim is to win the next General Election – not indulge in some ideological experiment.
The first is to appoint a Shadow Cabinet that represents all sections of the party. Not one packed with cronies and hard-Left MPs who will indulge Corbyn and avoid home truths.
He must outperform Prime Minister David Cameron in the Commons.
We cannot have a Labour leader introduced to gales of laughter every week.
Pledging to cut Britain’s defences and turning up at the Cenotaph wearing a white poppy on Remembrance Day does not chime well with millions of ordinary, decent people. He must show that he takes the defence of the realm seriously.
Corbyn deserves praise for shaking up politics and he’s right to say that Labour must become a social movement again. But he can’t leave credibility at the door.
He is said to enjoy a dialogue with ‘friends’ he disagrees with – I trust he will have the same tolerant attitude towards his own Labour MPs.
But like anyone in a new job, Corbyn is on probation.
There is no escaping the fact that if it does not look as though he is going to lead Labour to victory in 2020, there will be a vacancy. We will have to find someone who can.