‘An hour of abuse’: Jeremy Corbyn on Labour coups, and whether he feels sorry for Starmer
As Keir Starmer endures a slow ousting, his predecessor recalls the day in 2016 when colleagues tried to force him out – and assesses who might come next
TL;DR
- Jeremy Corbyn expressed personal sympathy for Keir Starmer, recalling his own experience of a Labour party coup in 2016.
- He described the 2016 coup involving mass resignations from his shadow team and a no-confidence vote, which he ultimately fought and won against Owen Smith.
- Corbyn advised Starmer to be visible and make his case to the party, rather than retreating, drawing from his own instincts during the crisis.
- He evaluated potential future leaders, including Wes Streeting, Andy Burnham, and Angela Rayner, questioning their policy alignment with party members, particularly on issues of defense spending and privatization.
- Corbyn stated his criteria for leadership would include stances on the economy, opposition to racism, peace, environment, public ownership, and the rejection of warfare.
- He noted that his ex-wife, from Chile, compared the situation to coups they had witnessed before.