DELUSION OF THE HARD LEFT

Former Labour MP Tom Harris has hit out at the delusion of the party's hard left and suggested that they would keep Corbyn as leader given the chance.  Given the complete failure of the leadership to accept responsibility for the election defeat, why should their followers be any different?  The news that Rebecca Long-Bailey has appointed a committed Stalinist to run her leaadership campaign vindicates everything that Tom Harris told LBC's Matt Stadlen on Saturday (see below).  Stadlen himself later tweeted that the election of Long-Bailey as Corbyn's successor would write off Labour's chances in 2024 and that we were witnessing the "destruction of a party".

THE (EX) LABOUR 15

15 former Labour MPs have put their names to an advert today urging voters to "think again" about backing Labour.  This is not simply a collection of pro-Brexit, Tory-backing ex-members, far from it.  This is a diverse group coming at from a variety of political angles.  There are the ardent Brexiteers Tom Harris and Gisela Stuart, but there are also ardent Remainers such as Mike Gapes, Ann Coffey, Louise Ellman and Chris Leslie.  The latter group are certainly not advocating a vote for the Tories, just anyone but Corbyn.  However, as there are only two scenarios on Friday - either Brexit with Boris or the death of Brexit with Corbyn, they will clearly be relieved to see a Boris victory.  That says a lot about how emotive feelings are towards Corbyn and safeguarding the security of our nation - in that individuals so vociferously opposed to Brexit would rather see Brexit happen than have their former leader running the country.

Click on the images below for a better look at the full text.

KATE'S NOT VOTING LABOUR EITHER

Labour's Kate Hoey appeared on a debate show last night on LBC in which she was pushed on who she would be voting for in the coming election.  Kate is not contesting her Vauxhall seat this time, but presumably she's still a member of the party.  Therefore, she answered Iain Dale's question in a very clever way, avoiding any potential expulsion from the party.  She's voting DUP in her native Northern Ireland, she says, although she stresses that if people want Brexit they should vote either Tory or Brexit Party.  Watch below.

While she didn't specifically endorse the Conservatives, several of her former colleagues have been more candid.  Ian Austin, John Woodcock, Gisela Stuart and most recently Tom Harris have all said they are voting Conservative at this election.  It's a stunning admission for one former Labour MP, but for so many it's surely unprecedented.

Corbynistas will point to several ex-Tory MPs who have said they are not voting Conservative, but there are two key differences.  Firstly, none of them have said they are voting Labour.  Secondly, they are all Remainers who know that a Tory majority will get the withdrawal agreement through Parliament.  The former Labour MPs endorsing the Conservatives include both Leavers and Remainers.  That says a lot.

Additional reading

Farewell Kate