This could turn into as long a running series as ‘Game of Thrones’ – with less blood and nudity. Although ‘Lost’ might be more appropriate – never-ending, making less sense the longer it runs.
Having rejoined the Labour Party after many years away, and having recently received my official membership card, due mainly to Jeremy Corbyn’s election as party leader, it is getting more difficult to retain an unequivocal adherence to supporting him through the current leadership battle.
Not because of anything he has said, because every time I hear statements or interviews he reinforces the conviction that my original decision is correct. Certainly not because his opponent is inspiring me with any confidence – at all.
It is all the peripheral noise, loud and whispered, that is causing concern. And what is most annoying is that I am not sure whether it is a justified concern, or one resulting from endless repetitions of innuendo and implied faults, with no grounding in reality and a very clear agenda.
What I know is that he was, originally, the ‘joke’ candidate, thrown in to give ‘width’ to the leadership debate. A move that spectacularly backfired on the bulk of the Parliamentary Labour Party with a vengeance, because the members of the party, swelled by his presence, liked what they heard, and many saw in person.
And that continues now. Huge crowds greet him wherever he speaks, around the country. He won’t indulge in the playground game of rabble shouting that is the public face of the Houses of Parliament, and he asks the membership for ideas, suggestions, direction. Politely, quietly, in complete sentences and not sound bites and catch phrases.
Admittedly he is not charismatic, but the recent leaders we have had who were described as such have also left legacies of destruction and illegality that makes dull extremely appealing. However, Jeremy Corbyn is not dull, just different. He isn’t a politician, he is an idealist in politics.
From day one, he had the PLP, at best, not taking him seriously, at worst doing everything they could to bring him down, never mind the democracy of his election. They were brought into the Shadow Cabinet, showed minimal loyalty and then complained loud and long when they were ignored or replaced.
I am sorry, PLP, but the state of the Labour Party at the top is your fault, because the membership doesn’t agree with you.
However, the persistent flow of stories that emerge concerning the attitudes and activities of the organisation that has grown up around Corbyn does give me concern. Someone is instigating personal attacks of all sorts at MPs who do not support Corbyn. Someone, perhaps from distorted paranoia, is dismissing new members who may have been members of, or voted for, different parties in the past.
This is all unnecessary, and merely gives those elements in the PLP who want to maintain the rift the ammunition to do so, harking back to dark days long gone.
So what if a dozen or so Tories want to waste money to vote in an election they will have no effect on whatsoever. More importantly, if people have changed their direction because of Corbyn, then welcome them with open arms. When Blair was elected leader I stopped voting Labour and voted Green in every election since. Does that mean I am not wanted?
Rational behaviour, respect for the discourse, and political differences, and an intention on both sides to find a way to achieve cooperation is what is needed. Not ridiculous statements from PLP members abusing Corbyn’s abilities, and activists behaving in a way that is totally at odds with what socialism actually means.
After all, there is a far more serious and fundamental battle to be fought, to stop the Tory party from completely undermining any progress that has been made towards equality and fairness.
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