“The Stabbing” in the title above is of course a reference to Jon Lansman’s (mostly unsuccessful) attempt to render the Labour Party’s Deputy Leader Tom Watson null and void. Jon Lansman founded the “Momentum” organisation. He is on the Labour Party Executive Committee and a Corbyn supporter.
He made his move without warning and as a sort of ambush, no doubt carefully planned with others of the coterie, in full view of the nation’s cameras, just before that Party’s annual conference, a conference especially important with a General Election likely in the very near future, and the UK in turmoil. Extraordinary timing.
It shows dramatically that the needs and yearnings of a nation are beyond the ken and care of the likes of old Jon. Et Tu, old Jon ? Et tu, old Jez ? Old days, old ways, old dark and dim and narrow passage-ways.
I have much respect for Tom Watson, not necessarily or primarily for his position on the so-called political spectrum, but for his human qualities and priorities. If Labour still has something of value to give to this country, Tom Watson points the way to it far more convincingly that the present leadership does. That leadership is not at all remarkable for how “radical” it is ; but for how puerile, lumpen, ineffective and plain nasty it is.
Radical change is our only hope. But change originating from a place of high talent, high intelligence and wide appeal. We need a better way of living, and a better politics, with leadership that is fresh, vigorous, wise and capable of inspiring the best from a people. These characteristics are no less lacking in Corbyn and his slack and rancid clique than in Johnson and his hoodlums.