People always questioned why Jeremy Corbyn and the Momentum/Comrade types didn’t break free from Labour and form their own party based on their own policies and principles, but it now seems like JC is ready to test this approach with the formation of the ‘Collective’ party (the Borg jokes write themselves).
As per the Guardian, Corbyn held a meeting on Sunday which was attended by the former Unite general secretary Len McCluskey and a number of former independent candidates. The idea is that the new party could act as an incubator for future leaders who could replace Corbyn as a figurehead of the left, and contest seats at the next general election in 2029.
Pamela Fitzpatrick, the director of Corbyn’s Peace and Justice project, who will be the movement’s director, said “now is the time” to become an established party.
“We have seen the rise of the far right and already people are feeling politically homeless because they were so desperate for change but support for Labour is dropping so quickly. We need a real movement that can fill that gap.”
Corbyn shared a strategy during the meeting that would involve left-wing independents uniting to create a mass membership drive and an attempt to to get trade unions to affiliate.
“Lots of people have been involved in independent campaigns in the last election that did surprisingly well, even if they didn’t win. This was the beginning of a potential mass movement of the working class outside of the Labour party.
Which makes sense, I suppose. It’s been clear for a while now that Jeremy Corbyn has no future in the Labour Party, so if he wants to stay in politics then he may as well have his own thing going. Can the Collective really one day become a viable alternative to the Tories and Labour? Let’s be honest – all it will really do (at least initially) is take votes away from Labour and the leftwing, which seems kind of counter-productive, but then Reform are having the same effect on the Conservatives so I guess it evens things out a bit.
I suppose we should wait and see how this plays out and at least give Corbyn and the Collective a chance to explain their policies and ideas for a Britain under their leadership. It will probably collapse into factionalism and accusations way before it even gets to that stage, but still, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try. It’s probably as good a time as any now with Labour and Tory voters both so disillusioned with their parties.
For the time Jeremy Corbyn’s brother Piers caused a scene in Aldi by demanding they accept his cash in a cashless store, click HERE. Bet Jeremy loved that.
