Jeremy Corbyn has failed worse than any leader of a British political party since World War Two
I NEVER thought that Labour would come anywhere near winning this election.
I’d had enough people volunteering their views to me, and through canvassing, to know that. But there was a moment when I knew we’d absolutely had it.
The BBC’s Nick Robinson was questioning Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell. “The Conservative message, ‘Get Brexit Done’, is very clear. What’s yours?”
There was an audible gulp from Mr McDonnell, a pause, followed by patter so inconsequential that I now can’t recall it word for word. And that’s the point. If you are asking people to lend you the most precious thing they have in a democracy — their vote — you have to be able to say why.
On Brexit, was Labour’s leader Jeremy Corbyn in favour of leaving the EU with his “sensible deal”, or of staying in it? He didn’t seem to know — or if he did he was keeping it from the electorate.
There has not been a more abject failure of leadership by the head of any British political party since the war.
Mr Corbyn, Mr McDonnell and their puppet-master, Len McCluskey, now blame not themselves but Brexit for Labour’s night of shame. But our Brexit difficulties were largely brought about by Mr Corbyn. They started with the 2016 EU referendum.
Corbyn tried to promise everything at once
For most of that campaign, he was invisible. Only reluctantly was he persuaded to say something. When he did, it was without enthusiasm.
There’s a reason for Mr Corbyn’s indecision on Brexit. The Jeremy Corbyn I knew in 36 years in the Commons was the man who voted against every EU treaty change — and left the strong impression he couldn’t stand the institution. But scared to fight for it, he put his party into the worst position, of having no position at all.
But Brexit was just a symptom of Labour’s problems. Their cause was Mr Corbyn, what he stood for. He and those who have propped him up can body-swerve as much as they want.
They have to face up to this unpalatable truth. Mr Corbyn was convinced (he always has been) that the more left-wing Labour’s manifesto, the more votes we would get.
He didn’t disappoint. It was even more left-wing that our last effort like that — Labour’s 1983 manifesto, tagged “the longest suicide note in history”.
I back far greater public spending than are the Conservatives. It’s one reason why I have been in Labour for 59 years.
I want a fairer society, with greater equality, better opportunities and no discrimination. But you have to take people with you on this journey, and remember that it’s their money that will be paying for it.
Mr McDonnell and Mr Corbyn forgot this. They tried to promise everything at once, in a single incontinent splurge. The result was inevitable. The party fell flat on its face.
Last was the terrible scourge of anti-Semitism Mr Corbyn allowed to gain hold in the party until it was too late. We were indelibly stained.
After Labour’s 1992 election defeat, Neil Kinnock did the honourable thing and announced he was going.
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He didn’t hang around in a transparent attempt to organise the election of a successor, which is what it appears Mr Corbyn is doing — as if more of the same toxic mixture is going to work. It can’t.
I love the Labour Party and all the decent things it stands for, and has done for our society. We can have a future, but only if we break with the dismal Corbyn agenda and have a leader and organisation that can take us on that long journey.
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