My advice to Labour right now would to be Machiavellian. You may not like Corbyn, but a lot of voters certainly did. Nigh-on all of Scotland voted for the even more left-wing SNP. True, Ed Miliband didn't go down well in England either, but then Ed had even less charisma than David "I definitely did not have sexual relations with that pig" Cameron, as he shall henceforth be known.
Miliband had no prospect of building the wider social movement needed to support his (supposedly) hard-left policies, but worse, he was willing to compromise pretty drastically to try and appease Tory voters on other issues, especially immigration. This ended up with a mix of policies perceived as very left and others which basically said that some fundamental Labour ideologies were wrong, led by a man without any talent for leadership. It was the worst of all worlds, and never going to end well.
Now, it could well be the case that the policies of Corbyn won't appeal to a wider audience. That is perfectly possible, but it remains to be seen. Surely the correct course of action is to give it a little time (let's say a year) and see how Labour do in the polls and by-elections. Corbyn has charisma, appeals to younger voters, and stands a real chance of building the movement that Miliband couldn't. Maybe it won't work, but it would be foolish to stab him in the back without giving him a chance. This is the exact opposite of the mistake with Miliband, which was to not stab him in the back a lot sooner (albeit that for a long time the polls were highly misleading).
You were willing to veer to the right under Blair to get into power, why not veer to the left under Corbyn if he can do the same ?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-34331389
I'm too tired to go into my rant about how the people's party should organise from the grass-roots upwards, instead of having Führer Blair dictate to them...
ReplyDeleteThere is something very worrying when a leader elected with overwhelming support doesn't command much in the way of enthusiasm from the other MPs. Maybe they're right and know Corbyn can't win mass appeal. Maybe they've been in politics too long. In any case, methinks they haven't quite grasped the idea of a democracy.
ReplyDeleteTrying to oust Corbyn at this stage would do nothing except alienate everyone who voted for him. Now, if a year down the line it does prove that he hasn't got what it takes, then it would be understandable. But at this stage, even suggesting they can't work with the leader most people wanted makes them looks foolish.
We only see the ends justifying the means as an evil in itself when our opponents do it.
ReplyDeleteRhys Taylor a leader like corbyn will attract MPs who speak for people NOT career politician's..
ReplyDeleteJordan Henderson I'm not really sure what to make of that. I never had any issues when the Tories removed the hapless Iain Duncan Smith as leader.
ReplyDeleteRhys Taylor you are advising the Labour Party to be Machiavellian, which typically means Consequentialism, or the Ends Justifies the Means as opposed to Principled.
ReplyDeleteJordan Henderson Yes I am, but you said this was only seen as an evil when our opponents do it. On the contrary, as I said, it made perfect sense to me when the Tories removed failing leaders.
ReplyDeleteWhether this is an issue of principle or not is another matter. It depends if the dissenters are against Corbyn because they genuinely disagree with his policies or because they think he'll cost them the election. I don't think that's such an easy question to answer.
I have heard that the influx of new 'Corbynite' ordinary members might mean some of the current MPs could be de-selected. Our local MP, Rachel Reeves has refused to work in a Corbyn shadow cabinet and she was a 'parachuted in' policy wonk who was chosen over a very popular local candidate. If Corbyn puts his ideas about empowering the grass roots into action she'll be one of the first to go. I don't know how many will jump ship to the Lib Dems, but Farron has been particularly jolly recently.
ReplyDeleteRhys Taylor Really, I was being rhetorical.
ReplyDeleteI didn't recognize your reference above to Tory politics.
dennis mclaughlin I would argue with you about your generalisation about English people, but I've moved to Wales.
ReplyDeleteI think dennis mclaughlin is broadly correct, but I also think a lot of us are pissed off to have two basically right wing parties (C and L) and very little to speak of on the left. If Labour veers left again that would be a good thing, especially if (wishful thinking here) the Conservatives also expanded left a bit to fill in the gap. If they don't, I could even see another party slotting in to the hole. If the Conservatives decided to marginalise themselves on the far right, good bloody riddance.
ReplyDeleteWhat we used to have: ====L=========C===
What we have now: =========L=====C==
What Corbyn could give us: ===L==?????===C===
I feel that on the whole, the English vote just a bit right of centre. The current everything much-further-right than usual is an aberration, and I really hope it corrects itself soon. I'm thoroughly sick of the current smarmy crowd, and I think - hope! - that's a common sentiment.
I'm hoping whoever successfully claims the centre ground wins the next election, and I suspect Corbyn might have a better shout at that than the Conservatives.