The politics of the jealous, the stupid and the negative do not win votes. Nothing could exemplify this more than the routing of Labour in the recent local elections – in which the Labour Party lost seven councils and 382 seats.
The Conservative Party by contrast gained 562 seats and four mayors, some in traditional Labour heartlands. How astounding it is that the reigning political party gained so much in a local election. Usually voters get bored or angry with the party in power and use local elections to assert their grievances. But not this time.
As the results trickled in, I heard the usual excuses coming from Jeremy Corbyn’s groupies. Appearing for what seems the millionth time on Question Time, the ridiculous Rebecca Long-Bailey and the inept Leanne Wood both tried to blame their parties’ failings on the ‘right-wing media’. Long-Bailey claimed that the media focuses only on divisions within the Labour Party and not their policies. Never mind that the media cannot report on policies which do not exist or not avoid divisions that stare you in the face.
Voters can think for themselves and do not rely on the media to be told what to do. It is patronising of Labour’s new spokespeople and only serves to irritate and anger. No wonder they lost so many seats last week.
Corbyn’s groupies just don’t get it: a political party needs to have a leader who has a sound grasp of economics. Defending the bloated behemoth that the NHS has become is not the only policy voters are interested in. And a basic level of competence is expected. Was it Diane’s Abbott’s disastrous mathematical abilities that finally repelled Labour’s remnant traditional supporters?
Then there was the appalling sight of the shadow chancellor standing under the communist flag during the inane May Day – enough to turn the stomach of any decent voter. It did mine. Surely by now, with all that we know, allegiance to communism, an insidious ideology under which millions have suffered and died, must be viewed with same horror that we reserve for those who sport a swastika tattoo. McDonnell’s absurd denial that he was unaware of the flag rang hollow, echoing Corbyn’s excuses each time he shares platforms with Holocaust deniers at one of the frequent Jew hate events he somehow finds himself at.
By blaming everyone else, the media, Zionists, Tories, lack of door knocking, disloyalty – the list is endless – for their losses in the local elections, Labour politicians and their groupies sound like teenage conspiracy theorists with no grasp of how the world works. They refuse to take responsibility for their ridiculous antics, forgetting that it was not the media that made McDonnell stand under the hammer and sickle. And woe betide any residual loyal Labour Party members who object to the destruction of their party. They cannot expect to escape the ire of the Cult of Corbyn. They are told to ‘f@k off and join the Tories’. They have listened and the result is obvious.
Labour used to be the Party of the intellectuals. Where have all they all disappeared to? Have they been purged as this article argues?
Britons are not stupid. They respect intellect and they recognise ineptitude and nastiness when they see it. Labour is making a huge mistake by focusing on what makes us weak rather than on what makes us strong. This is no way to win hearts and minds.
Traditional Labour voters are also put off by hearing their leaders extoll the virtues of communism, globalism, multiculturalism and Islamism. They are horrified by the vindictive identity politics and incoherence that is Labour’s new DNA. Voters are tired of being told that they are racist xenophobes whose own Judeo-Christian culture and history are meaningless and inferior. They want secure borders, safety and prosperity. And they know that Labour is incapable of delivering this to them.
Theresa May appeals to Britain’s centre ground instincts. The Liberal Democrats have flat-lined, not least because of their stubborn anti-democratic stance on Brexit. Ukip, now a rebel without cause, has let in-fighting kill it at the polls. The SNP own brand of poisonous politics also puts voters off. The Greens and Plaid Cymru, with their murky and useless ideas, are barely worth a mention.
There is a certain schadenfreude in watching Labour self-destruct. They deserve no less for their disdain of the working class and general hatred of all things British. Theresa May can only hope that Corbyn continues as Labour leader until the general election and abides by his very own master class on how to lose. But functioning democracy needs a viable opposition. It is needed to ensure a competent Brexit and the motivation the Tories need to abide by true conservative values. That’s why Corbyn should resign and allow Labour to regenerate.
For all our sakes.
(Image: Kevin Walsh)
