To My Corbyn Supporting Friends

I was expecting to be writing a different post this evening. I was going to explain why the NEC’s decision not to put Jeremy Corbyn on the Labour Party leadership ballot was fair. I was going to say that it wasn’t “keeping him off the ballot” but, rather, making him follow the same rules as everyone else. However, the NEC have voted to let him on without the support of the 51 MPs and MEPs his opponents require. So here is my message to you now:

1) Corbyn has lost the support of his Parliamentary Party. There is a reason for this and it is not because they’re all ‘Blairites’. Treat those who disagree with you with respect. Listen to their concerns. Argue for your views. Have a debate. Don’t dismiss them.

2) Don’t blame the MSM or share Canary links with crazy conspiracy theories that ‘explain’ why the world is out to get you and the Parliamentary Party are against you. Nobody is out to get you. Talk about the issues, why you’re right and why the other parties (and those in your party) are wrong. Tell people how you’d battle poverty and inequality, how you’d improve the lives of everyone, how your ‘new politics’ really is the direction this country should go in. If you blame others for Jeremy’s failures so far then you won’t be persuading people – you’ll just leave them walking away with no clear idea of what you stand for and no desire to engage with you. Temper tantrum politics will see you put to bed earlier than you’d like.

3) Question yourself. Ask what you want and if Jeremy can achieve it. Does he have a coherent plan to help the poor, the disadvantaged, anyone in need of help? If he does ask yourself do others believe in it – will they support him? The polls aren’t good. They may change – but for how long do you wait? A year, two? A general election defeat, two? Decide the point at which you stop supporting someone if they cannot do any of the things you want them to do. You are not Sisyphus. Go ahead and push the rock but realise you can walk away when you feel like you’ll never reach the top.

4) Please want to reach the top. Don’t support Corbyn in full knowledge that he’ll never be able to practice what he preaches. This is a curse on those of us who can see the summit. By all means keep pushing in the direction you feel is right but the moment you realise you can never reach the destination then let someone else take over.

5) If you don’t agree with any of the points above then, please, above all else, agree with this. Don’t be abusive. Don’t be violent. Win through debate not intimidation. If you see anyone not adhering to this then talk to them, convince them why it’s not the way to help the poorest in society. Tell them it won’t aid the unemployed or mentally ill or disabled or anyone at all (save, possibly, themselves). And if you can’t convince them, ask yourself why you’re happy to be associated with them and if they’re helping or hindering your cause.