So the battle has been joined. The revolt by Labour MPs –
denounced as a ‘chicken coup’ by Corbyn supporters online – turns out to be
serious. After the Party made a disastrous decision to elect the Islington leftist
last summer, the chickens have actually come home to roost.
As Angela Eagle prepares to launch her challenge at a smart central
London venue on Monday morning, there are two important questions to be
answered.
The first is whether Owen Smith will stake his own claim to
be the challenger. The MP for Pontypridd is viewed as much more sympathetic to
the embattled socialist incumbent and only resigned very reluctantly from the
shadow cabinet. He has been vocally supportive of the ill-fated ‘peace deal’
proposed by Deputy Leader Tom Watson and some representatives of the trade unions.
If Smith has any remaining ambitions, it needs to be made
clear to him very firmly that there can be only one challenger. Angela Eagle
presents much more of a serious ideological counterpoint to Corbyn, which is
important. This election is only worth winning if it sets Labour back on the
road towards electability. Smith’s pronouncements give me no confidence in that
regard.
The second question is whether Corbyn even makes it on to
the ballot paper. Conflicting legal advice on this question might lead to a
High Court judge making the ultimate decision.
While Neil Kinnock maintains the precedent is for the
incumbent leader to obtain nominations in the same way as challengers, others
worry that a ballot paper without Jez’s name might not go down too well with
his vehement and increasingly belligerent supporters. It may be that the PLP wants
to avoid accusations of some kind of fix.
It is hard to see Angela Eagle winning, although on this
occasion, I would tend to agree with the Corbynistas that the winning of
elections isn’t the most important thing, as long as we stand up for what is
right. Some people speculate that Angela might be a stalking horse, but the
really credible candidates – David Miliband, Sadiq Khan, Chuka Umunna and Alan
Johnson – are all unavailable or probably have too much sense to get involved.
This may well turn out to be a final and pivotal contest for
the very soul of a party which has existed since 1900. It is a party which was
founded to achieve progress for working people and has huge achievements to its
name. We only have to scratch the surface to find momentous changes forged by
Labour, which have shaped the lives of everyone in the UK.
The National Health Service. The modern welfare state.
Comprehensive education. The Open University. The first legislation against
racial and sexual discrimination. The national minimum wage. Devolution of power to Scotland, Wales and
London. Freedom of information.
In the space of just under a year, this proud party with its
incredible track record, has been brought to its knees. Why? Because its
membership – wholly unrepresentative of Labour voters, let alone the Tory and
UKIP voters Labour needs to win back – deliberately opted for political
oblivion and irrelevance.
The members were warned a thousand times that Corbyn’s 80s-style
metropolitan socialism could never have a wide appeal in 2016. They saw the
evidence of the veteran left-winger’s poor communication skills and lack of
natural leadership ability. But, swelled by large numbers of three-pound
fly-by-nights, they set in train a series of events which has been truly
catastrophic.
We are at a crossroads right now. Either Corbyn is defeated
and his faction breaks away, leaving the Labour name and brand in the hands of
moderates. Or Eagle loses in a valiant last stand and the mainstream Labour
contingent forms its own new party.
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