The UK Labour Party is being assailed from all sides over its stance on Brexit – and ridiculed for its on-off efforts to bring the government of Theresa May down and force a General Election. What are its real attitudes and options?Up until now Jeremy Corbyn’s team have played a careful balancing act – respecting the result of the referendum on the one hand, while … [Read more...] about Labour’s Brexit trilemma: the least bad outcome?
Jeremy Corbyn
Corbyn, antisemitism and nothingness
Let me be honest: I am not a specialist in French existential philosophy. But as the debate concerning Jeremy Corbyn’s handling of accusations of antisemitism within the Labour party shows no sign of abating, I was suddenly reminded of Jean-Paul Sartre’s classic work, Being and Nothingness.Corbyn’s apparent inability or unwillingness to take a clear and definite position on … [Read more...] about Corbyn, antisemitism and nothingness
No country for old men
I am a sad old man. I admit it. But I am worried that ideological purity should be the test for becoming a Labour candidate. That is no country for old men. The young In one another’s arms, birds in the trees – Those dying generations – at their song, The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas, Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long Whatever is begotten, born, and … [Read more...] about No country for old men
Corbyn’s pick’n’mix approach to eating cake
In his speech to the Scottish Labour Party conference, Jeremy Corbyn helpfully set out where he is on the EU and Brexit.It is worth going through Corbyn’s speech in detail to see what makes sense to anyone sitting in an EU27 capital or the EU Commission. In a little over a year's time there will be no more British MEPs, Ministers or officials able to take these arguments to … [Read more...] about Corbyn’s pick’n’mix approach to eating cake
Clear water on Brexit from Corbyn…
Jeremy Corbyn’s speech on Brexit has opened up, finally, a clear distinction between Conservative and Labour policies on Brexit.The UK government is committed to an independent trade policy after Brexit, Labour is now committed to a comprehensive customs union with the EU.Beyond that much of Labour’s deliberate ambiguity of the last year and more remains: Labour wants … [Read more...] about Clear water on Brexit from Corbyn…