Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn suffered a crushing defeat in the 2019 general election, as his party secured just 203 seats across the country. It was Labour’s worst result since 1935 and ultimately led to the departure of Mr Corbyn from the party’s leadership. Keir Starmer eventually won the Labour leadership campaign by a comfortable margin, but this didn’t stop some Labour MPs raising doubts about his credentials. Labour MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, Neil Coyle, described Sir Keir as a “comfort blanket” who won’t win back voters.
He was backing Jess Phillips at the time, who later withdrew from the race.
Mr Coyle said at the time: “Jess appeals far beyond our base in a way that is more attractive to people who ‘aren’t doing’ politics.”
“Look at the number of people following Jess on Facebook and who are interested to see what she has to say.
“Her reach is far bigger than Keir’s and she’s not had a front bench position, she’s not been in the shadow cabinet.
“He’s been in it for four years and has less of a following even though he’s been our go-to person on the biggest single issue facing the country.
“If we are serious about reaching beyond the politically interested, who are always going to be voting and looking anyway, we’ve got to use our best communicators, our best voices, and those with the biggest reach.
“I want the party to realise the hole it’s in. Anyone saying the last four years don’t need to be criticised is missing how we win back the support of the public.
“If it’s not perceived as a big enough change from that big rejection they will not come back to us.
“People say it’s the worst defeat since 1935. In 1935 the Labour Party had never had a majority government. Our future is not guaranteed.
READ MORE: Keir Starmer poised to cash in on Boris Johnson’s ‘catastrophe’
Mr Chessum, who is a campaigner for left-wing group Another Europe is Possible, said this behaviour showed the hallmarks of Mr Corbyn’s mistakes during his time as leader.
He said: “We’ve been here before, of course. Labour under Jeremy Corbyn was also deeply reluctant to take proactive public stands on anything related to Brexit.
“Labour’s policy, cooked up in back rooms rather than in a democratic process, evolved about a year behind the political landscape.
“Everything was based on narrow electoral calculation and parliamentary chess playing.”
