Len McCluskey has described the attempted coup against Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, as a “political lynching of a decent man” as he asked MPs to allow trade unions to “broker a peace”.
The general secretary of Unite warned that a challenge to the leadership by MPs such as Angela Eagle or Owen Smith would plunge Labour into an ugly civil war. But, on the same programme, McCluskey said it was unhelpful for “former leaders to be dragged out to be part of an unedifying coup”, arguing that Neil Kinnock and Ed Miliband had also shown that they did not know how to win elections.
McCluskey dismissed a survey of 750 Unite members which showed widespread support for Corbyn to resign as a “poll of half a dozen people”, while describing the Labour leader as a “man of steel” who was going nowhere.
“The coup has failed. Jeremy is made of tougher stuff,” McCluskey told the BBC’s Andrew Marr, saying it was outrageous that grandees such as Lord Kinnock were part of a coup which he claimed was being run by a communications company with links to Tony Blair.
McCluskey responded to calls from Kinnock for Corbyn to go by saying the former leader had a poor track record when it came to elections. Kinnock had argued that there had been a “significant shift” away from Corbyn among party members. “Members across the country have got deep, residual doubts about the possibility of him leading the party to election victory,” he said.
Kinnock also argued that if Corbyn is challenged he ought to have to collect nominations from MPs, as Kinnock had to in the late 1980s when Tony Benn took him on with the support of Labour’s current leader. The issue is significant because Corbyn’s team believe he will automatically be able to stand again, but his opponents strongly disagree. It seems unlikely that he would receive the backing of enough politicians if he has to seek their support.
Talking about the large numbers of people who paid £3 to become registered supporters of Labour in order to back Corbyn in last year’s election, Kinnock said they were “very welcome in the party”, arguing that they brought energy and vibrancy. But he added: “They have to then decide whether they are serious about putting principles into power ... or if they joined up to a social protest movement.” He said the latter would mean attending the funerals of industry across Britain as the Tories took power for decades.
Corbyn hit back on Sunday, telling his party’s MPs that they should “respect democracy”, stressing that he was elected by 60% of Labour members and supporters just nine months ago. Writing in the Sunday Mirror, he added: “I am ready to reach out to Labour MPs who didn’t accept my election and oppose my leadership – and work with the whole party to provide the alternative the country needs.”
However, aides were unable to add details as to how Corbyn might be able to reach a consensus, with the MPs who oppose him saying his article lacked substance. They urged him to show leadership and respond to the overwhelming vote of no confidence among MPs last week.
Tom Watson is understood to have welcomed McCluskey’s comments, which are seen as a sign that a “negotiated settlement” of some sort may still be possible.
