In the interview, he also says the pro-Jeremy Corbyn campaign group Momentum’s “aggression is matched only by their stupidity” and argues claims made by anti-war campaigners, including Mr Corbyn and Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, that innocent Syrians will inevitable die as a result of the RAF’s bombing raids are “utterly unfair and wrong”.
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On the face of things, it should be outrageous that Watson is publically criticising the movement that propelled his boss to the leadership of the Labour Party. he is supposed to be planning Corbyn’s campaign to become Prime Minister, not bashing his supporters.
They have harassed and intimidated mainly Labour MPs who supported the Government’s motion.
“Many – especially in today’s Labour Party – felt we lost our way in Government”, he went on. However, should he stay on course and attend, the Labour leader can at least bank on getting a far friendlier reception from his comrades there than he did at his own party’s Christmas bash.
Jim McMahon arrived in the chamber during justice department question-time and waited for his introduction as the new Oldham West and Royton MP. Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow, came in for particularly vicious treatment as mobs harassed her office and home.
Chancellor George Osborne nearly certainly took the decision to scrap his controversial plan to cut tax credits – which many said would cost the average working family £1,300 a year – amid concerns it would have an impact on middle income voters inclined towards supporting the Tories.
Corbyn – who voted against war with Iraq, defying Blair – says his leadership campaign re-embraced the socialist principles of his party, giving a rise in membership as proof of his left wing agenda.
If McMahon can do it, why then can’t Kendall? “They are our enemy and we have to treat them as such”.
For sure there appeared to be some unpleasantness last week directed at Labour MPs, including former deputy leadership candidate Stella Creasy, with allegations of Twitter abuse directed at the Walthamstow MP for her decision to back the expansion of airstrikes to Syria. He plumped for Enver Hoxha, the Albanian communist dictator who is held responsible for up to 25,000 deaths, quoting his famous line “this year will be tougher than last year”.
The immediate issue is the fear that Momentum is planning to push for the deselection of Labour MPs with more centrist political views than Corbyn. Its members successfully joined and took over local some Labour party organisations.
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But while a small minority in the Corbyn camp may feel it would be a mistake to make overtures to those who effectively walked out on the shadow cabinet, there’s also no obvious reason why taking such an approach would lead to any sort of drift to the right in policy terms.
