A few Labour updates.

The latest on what’s been happening in the Labour party, because there’s a lot of it.

So Jeremy Corbyn has finally realised he’s been side by side with bad faith actors out to destroy him for the last 5 years, and FINALLY the Absolute Boy is lawyering up. Word is Corbyn intends to take legal action to prove some sort of deal on his reinstatement was etched out with Starmer, and then discarded and reneged on.

All this does is further imprint upon Starmer the need to reach a climbdown and get this hashed out. John McDonnell is (when has he ever not been??) spot on, in saying let’s get Starmer, Corbyn, Margaret Hodge all in a room, lock the door, and not leave until we’ve found something all three can sign off on happily, and draw the line.

Could the legal action work? Too early to tell and partially irrelevant. Corbyn seems to have a strong case, but the damage will be done to Starmer either way. Equally, if revelations come to light, it’ll be a severe hit to Starmer’s image and credibility and kill off his ratings. It is in everyone’s interests to avoid full blown war here, but Jeremy has every right to fight this injustice if an agreement isn’t reached, rapidly, and I will support that case any time it is brought.

Meanwhile, some internal data shows a party deeply divided. A majority of members approve of Starmer and where the party is going, but a solid block (not a fringe minority) of the party are in uproar and disapprove. Party unity cannot happen if 30% or so of members hate you.

Meanwhile, there are a few issues for Starmer here. CLPs across the country are breaking the antidemocratic (remember when Corbyn was accused of factional “Stalinist” crackdowns) and Orwellian claims that anyone expressing solidarity with Corbyn is an antisemite and breaking the rules, by passing motions of solidarity with Jeremy.

Polling of members further reveals good news for the left: overwhelmingly all segments of the party (even those less fond of Corbyn) agree the 2019 manifesto was broadly correct and expect and want Starmer to stick to his Ten Pledges. Starmer’s approval with members could be in trouble if he doesn’t stick to those pledges in the next manifesto or any policy proposals over the next few years building up to the next election.

And finally, the myth of avocado eating elitists supporting Jeremy over hard working Labour patriots is dispelled forevermore: low income Labour members overwhelmingly support Corbyn, better off Labour members that could more be construed as lower middle or middle class don’t.

This of course makes sense, Corbyn spoke to the needs of the left behind in a way no Labour leader had in a generation, but that won’t stop the Sun or the *now apparently deficit hawks* BBC implying otherwise.

Reinstate Jeremy Corbyn, and get on with opposing the Tories, you absolute lemons.