Starmer’s motion is an attack on democracy
Keir Starmer has personally submitted a motion to Labour’s national executive (NEC), which meets tomorrow, to formally bar Jeremy Corbyn from standing as a Labour candidate at the next general election. The motion is for show, as Starmer’s cronies hold a majority on the NEC and the outcome is not in doubt.
Starmer is afraid to leave the choice up to local members, as Corbyn is overwhelmingly popular with them – but the wording of the motion shows just how cowardly and dishonest the move is:
1935 was in fact a better result in terms of vote share that Tony Blair’s 2005 election victory and in 2019 even the sabotage of Corbyn’s party by the right could not prevent Labour receiving significantly better shares than the party managed under either Ed Miliband or Gordon Brown, neither of whom have been targeted by similar motions.
Thousands have said that they will travel to Islington North to campaign for Corbyn if he is forced to stand as an independent candidate. It’s time for Corbyn to declare that he will do so and for his supporters to mobilise what will surely be the biggest ‘on the ground campaign’ in the seat’s history. Will any Labour candidate be foolish enough to stand against Corbyn if he declares he is standing despite Starmer’s anti-democratic coward’s charter?
Update: Corbyn has now commented publicly, but still stopped short of saying outright that he will stand as an independent:
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