Jeremy Corbyn speaks to the crowd at the #keepcorbynrally.
Commentator Willie Jackson and Labour leader Andrew Little join in the Blairite criticism of British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

ON WAATEA FIFTH ESTATE (Sky 87) last night  presenter Willie Jackson asserted again that Jeremy Corbyn was 'in trouble'.

One of his guests, Labour leader Andrew Little, agreed with him. Little than repeated the mantra of Corbyn's political opponents that he had been less than fulsome in his support of the Remain option in the EU referendum.

It's not altogether surprising that the wealthy Willie Jackson, hardly a socialist and who votes Maori Party, might run with the narrative of a British corporate media fundamentally opposed to Corbyn and what he represents.

Nor is it surprising that Little should rally not to the defence of Corbyn but join in the criticism of him. Little has never demonstrated any enthusiasm for Corbyn and certainly hasn't publicly supported him in the way he has supported Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

It is disappointing that Waatea Fifth Estate, that boasts to be the progressive alternative to the mainstream media, could not find a socialist to appear on its show to talk about socialist Jeremy Corbyn. Unfortunately this show tends to be be a 'socialist free zone'

Let's be clear. Jeremy Corbyn is only 'in trouble' if you think that its a problem that the Blairite MP's are campaigning against him. As the vote of no confidence has demonstrated, he clearly doesn't have their support. But, more importantly, he does have the overwhelming support of the Labour Party membership and twelve major unions who have signed a statement in his defence. He also has the support of political parties and organisations outside Labour such as the Green Party and Left Unity. 

On Monday night Corbyn addressed a crowd of over 10,000 of his supporters.

In these circumstances Jeremy Corbyn will win any leadership election in a canter. His political opponents have yet to put forward a candidate, never mind announce what their policies are.

For Willie Jackson to claim that Corbyn is 'in trouble' is simply nonsensical and betrays an assumption that politics is just a parliamentary arena where politicians battle it out, while the rest of us merely look on.

Similarly for Andrew Little to claim that Jeremy Corbyn ran a poor campaign to remain in the EU is also Blairite fiction. What Little did not  say - or maybe just doesn't know - is that the Remain campaign was run by Hillary Benn, the first shadow cabinet minister to announce his lack of confidence in Corbyn's leadership and who Corbyn sacked.

Apparently Corbyn's crime was that he was critical of the EU 'in tone'. Whatever that means. In fact he argued, realistically, that it was best to stay in the EU to reform it. Two thirds of Labour's voters voted for Remain - hardly evidence that Labour's base wasn't listening to Corbyn. But let's not let the facts get in the way of an attempted coup, eh?

Like the New Zealand Labour Party, the membership of the British Labour Party have long been denied a real say in the decision making process of  their party. Instead, also like our Labour Party, the important decisions have always been made by a cabal of MPs and right wing union officials. The membership's role has been to deliver the leaflets and make the cups of tea.

Now, for the first time, the members - the rank and file - have inserted themselves into the decision making process and the Blairites MPs don't like it one bit. Their denial of the widespread support that Corbyn enjoys will prove to be their political undoing.

As journalist Paul Mason has observed what the Blairites fear is not that Corbyn will lose the next general election but that he will win it.  And, for the first time, Britain will have a radical left wing party in power. And then what will Willie Jackson and Andrew Little say?

1 comments:

  1. At what point are we allowed to criticise this leader who will only communicate at approved rallies and through video? Ever? No.Corbyn's criticis are not all blairites or media barons. Its a delusion to suggest it is. Blair never had the number of MPs who just voted no confidence in him at his height.

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