Saturday, November 21, 2015
Umunna launches strongest attack yet on Corbyn
Just when you thought that the infighting amongst Labour MPs could not get any worse, Chuka Umunna launches into his own coruscating criticism of Jeremy Corbyn.
According to the Telegraph, the former Labour leadership contender believes that Jeremy Corbyn's pacifist views should disqualify him from office because he cannot keep Britain safe:
In a thinly veiled attack at his leader, Mr Umunna said: "If you cannot keep the people safe, in their eyes that is a disqualification from office."
Mr Umunna told the BBC's Today programme this morning that he will vote with his "conscience" on airstrikes in Syria regardless of Jeremy Corbyn and his "nasty troll" supporters.
Mr Umunna adds: "The first duty of any elected representative, not just ministers, is to do all we can to ensure the security of our constituents, particularly in the face of the terrorist threat we are facing.
"This goes above and beyond party politics, and dare I say it internal party politics. Because if you cannot keep the people safe in their eyes that is a disqualification from office.
"The easy thing for many MPs would be to say I go along with every single comment, every single thing I have heard from the leadership."
Mr Umunna added that MPs should be free to express their views without being insulted trolled and threatened with deselection.
Meanwhile, Lord Reid, a former Cabinet minister under Tony Blair, said Labour's response to the terrorist threat did not look "competent or coherent":
"I don't think their best friend would argue that we have been coherent on these issues," he told the BBC's Today programme.
"It is sad not just from the point of the Labour Party, but the country. We need a competent, coherent opposition."
It is less than 100 days and the revolt against Corbyn within his own party is growing.
According to the Telegraph, the former Labour leadership contender believes that Jeremy Corbyn's pacifist views should disqualify him from office because he cannot keep Britain safe:
In a thinly veiled attack at his leader, Mr Umunna said: "If you cannot keep the people safe, in their eyes that is a disqualification from office."
Mr Umunna told the BBC's Today programme this morning that he will vote with his "conscience" on airstrikes in Syria regardless of Jeremy Corbyn and his "nasty troll" supporters.
Mr Umunna adds: "The first duty of any elected representative, not just ministers, is to do all we can to ensure the security of our constituents, particularly in the face of the terrorist threat we are facing.
"This goes above and beyond party politics, and dare I say it internal party politics. Because if you cannot keep the people safe in their eyes that is a disqualification from office.
"The easy thing for many MPs would be to say I go along with every single comment, every single thing I have heard from the leadership."
Mr Umunna added that MPs should be free to express their views without being insulted trolled and threatened with deselection.
Meanwhile, Lord Reid, a former Cabinet minister under Tony Blair, said Labour's response to the terrorist threat did not look "competent or coherent":
"I don't think their best friend would argue that we have been coherent on these issues," he told the BBC's Today programme.
"It is sad not just from the point of the Labour Party, but the country. We need a competent, coherent opposition."
It is less than 100 days and the revolt against Corbyn within his own party is growing.
Comments:
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Is it not a bit rich, Umunna complaining about Corbyn now? He had his chance to run for leader & he bottled it.
Liz Kendall is the one who really has the moral authority to go for Corbyn (she's really good on This Week, I think she should be on all the time).
Liz Kendall is the one who really has the moral authority to go for Corbyn (she's really good on This Week, I think she should be on all the time).
# posted by 
: 11:51 AM
: 11:51 AM
I believed Umunna when he said that he was withdrawing because of the effect the undue media attention would have had on family and friends. That does not disqualify him from passing judgment on his leader.
I am by no means a fan, by the way.
I am by no means a fan, by the way.
So Umunna wasn't willing to take the kind of flak that Corbyn is subjected to all the time. It may not disqualify him from commenting, but it makes what he says much less convincing to me and many others. If he cares so much about Labour, perhaps co-operation would be more constructive?
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