Labour MP: Claiming Corbyn ‘won’ Election is ridiculous
LABOUR’S fragile post-Election unity was shattered last night after one of Jeremy Corbyn’s own MPs openly mocked his claim that he ‘won’ the General Election.
In a scathing attack, Neil Coyle also accused his party leader of ‘triumphalism’ and raised fears that Labour’s current position was a ‘false dawn’.
After wiping out the Tories’ Commons’ majority, Mr Corbyn has suggested that his party was the real victor from the June 8 poll – despite ending up with fewer votes and seats than Theresa May.
But in an article published on Mail Online today, Mr Coyle – re-elected as Bermondsey MP ten days ago – said: ‘Labour still went down to our third successive General Election defeat.
‘Anyone claiming we “won” is frankly being ridiculous.’
The Labour MP coupled his remarks with a fierce attack on Theresa May and stressed he ‘desperately’ wanted Labour to form the next government.
Mr Corbyn was given a standing ovation from Labour benches in the Commons last week – in stark contrast to the silent receptions he received before the Election by MPs convinced he was leading them to election disaster.
But in his article, Mr Coyle – a Corbyn critic before June 8 – made clear that he would not be changing his views.
He also described his party leader’s triumphalism as ‘absurd’.
‘Many of Corbyn’s critics now applaud him but most Labour MPs and campaigners know that his terrible ratings meant he did not even appear on our Election leaflets,’ he wrote.
‘It is deeply disappointing that leading lights and steady hands continue to be ignored in appointments to Corbyn’s post- election Shadow Cabinet.’ Many Labour moderates are furious that genuine offers to work under Mr Corbyn had been ‘thrown back in the faces’ of party colleagues previously critical of him. That includes ex-Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray who sources say had offered to talk to Mr Corbyn about returning to the front bench, only for the offer to be rejected. Instead, Mr Corbyn appointed Lesley Laird, a Scottish MP elected for the first time on June 8.
Offers by former leadership rival Angela Eagle, who last year branded Mr Corbyn ‘unable’ to do the top job, also went unheeded, say party moderates. One senior ex-Minister said last night: ‘For all his genial behaviour and talk of reaching out, it’s the same old closed-shop leadership from Corbyn.
‘Instead of genuinely trying to unite the party, it’s a “we are the masters now” attitude. It’s a terrible missed opportunity.’
But a source close to the Labour leader last night denied he had snubbed former critics, insisting he was focusing on the priority of being ready to respond to the new Tory Government’s legislative programme and preparing to form a minority government if the current Tory administration falls.