Corbyn sabotaged Labour’s remain campaign. He must resign | Phil Wilson
Events of the past few days underline just how serious the consequences of the decisions made by our political leaders are. David Cameron’s decision to gamble with Britain’s future in the referendum has proved his own undoing. It was an exercise in Conservative party management that has put the long-term prosperity of the UK under threat and undermined our place in the world. The responsibility lies firmly on his shoulders and he rightly took the decision to resign.
However, just as the prime minister has resigned, so too should Jeremy Corbyn. It is with great regret but also resolve that I – and many other colleagues – have come to that conclusion. Being leader of the opposition and leader of the Labour party brings with it huge responsibility. Yes, you get to provide direction. But you also must bring people with you and lead from the front by example. In the referendum campaign it became clear that Corbyn was neither capable nor willing to do either. The inescapable conclusion is that he is incapable of meeting the challenges of the position he holds – either today or in the future.
It was clear last summer that Corbyn was only ever partially interested in keeping Britain in Europe and an honourable leader would bear the responsibility for the failure to persuade Labour voters to vote remain. After the general election, Ed Miliband took responsibility for the campaign’s failure. The decision that Britain took on Thursday was, arguably, more important than a general election. Corbyn’s job was to execute the decisions taken by the shadow cabinet, in the PLP, where over 200 of our MPs backed the remain campaign, by the trade unions, and at annual conference, which voted to back the remain position. He himself issued a note to all MPs on 17 September 2015 telling them that Labour would campaign to remain in the European Union. And yet he decided to go on holiday in the middle of the campaign. He did not visit the Labour heartlands of the north-east and instead raised esoteric issues such as TTIP which had no resonance on the doorstep.
This leads to me to the greatest betrayal and the final straw for many MPs. I have been told and shown evidence by an overwhelming number of unimpeachably neutral Labour remain staff that Corbyn’s office, for which he must take full responsibility, consistently attempted to weaken and sabotage the Labour remain campaign, in contravention of the party’s official position. For example, they resisted all polling and focus group evidence on message and tone, raised no campaign finance, failed to engage with the campaign delivery and deliberately weakened and damaged the argument Labour sought to make.
Corbyn made only a smattering of campaign appearances, and they were lacklustre in delivery and critical of the EU in tone resulting in Labour voters not knowing the party’s position or hearing our argument. Corbyn’s infrequent campaign appearances and narrow focus, in turned limited the party’s appeal. He kept saying that the economic shock of Brexit was not real. It is. And it is working people and Labour communities that will pay the price. A price that is being felt right now.
But as well as letting down Labour voters, he has also let down Labour members. Labour is a proud internationalist party and our conference, our members and our unions were clear that Labour should fight a strong Labour campaign to keep Britain in Europe.
Labour has a responsibility to the country, our supporters and the values we hold dear to ensure the party is a viable electoral force. I do not want to see this country become a rightwing Tory state and the preserve of nationalists who feed off anger rather than offer solutions. Corbyn should resign with immediate effect, the responsibility of being leader of the Labour party is beyond his capabilities and the stakes are far, far too high for him to continue.