Around a third of the Labour Party’s peers in the House of Lords have commissioned a full page advert criticising Corbyn’s actions – or lack thereof – in relation to anti-semitism. The ad ran in today’s Guardian.
The letter accuses Corbyn of “failing the test of leadership” by allowing antisemitism to “grow in our party” and states the peers’ belief that the party “is no longer a safe place for all members and supporters” of any faith.
The 64 signatures include former party general secretaries – Iain McNicol and Margaret McDonagh – as well as former cabinet secretaries – John Reid and Hilary Armstrong.
Such a public revolt from members of the Lords against their party colleagues in the Commons is without precedent.
The use of Labour Party’s logo is particularly punchy.
It’s use implies that peers feel as much ownership of the brand as the Leader of the Opposition. It’s about as close to an attempted coup as you can get without instigating one.
It’s hard to see what this will achieve in the short-term, but it may further embolden anti-Corbyn members of the Commons, which will have a longer term negative effect on Labour’s electoral fortunes.
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