Giving thanks to Corbyn for introducing Starmer

Jeremy Corbyn and Keir Starmer (Image: Politicshome.com)

I would like to start this article by expressing my delight when I heard that Sir Keir Starmer won the Labour leadership election. He was somebody who I voted for and, as I argued in January, him working with Angela Rayner as his Deputy will work wonders. They've been close colleagues over the past few years, both have respect for each other and they also have respect across the broad church Labour has developed.

Starmer's leadership is at its infancy as I write this, but he couldn't have received a warmer welcome. When the result was announced, you could sense the delight and relief from previously disengaged members and Labour politicians. His shadow cabinet appointments went down really well too. 'Hurray, we have adults instead of children in Labour's front bench again,' I read many social media posts state. 'Rejoice, the Tories have a proper opposition,' cry out political commentators.

These people who have made such comments are contrasting what they saw life was like under Jeremy Corbyn as leader to what may come. Labour members, as many know, have endured ten years of torment. After Gordon Brown left 10 Downing Street in May 2010, the leadership election result five months later showed that the membership and unions wanted the end of so-called 'New Labour' and chose Ed over David in the 'Battle of the Milibands'. That didn't work out as the Conservatives took greater hold of power in 2015, leaving Labour craving for another new direction. And that new direction led to Mr Corbyn.

Ed and David Miliband (Image: Daily Express)

I have analysed Corbyn's reign enough on my blog for readers to realise that his time as leader felt like a rollercoaster ride. If you picture the ride in my eyes, it started with turbulence. Him winning the way he did certainly brought shockwaves as very few expected it (until the final weeks of campaigning). Then I was in the dark tunnel, when even I questioned whether I should remain a member of the Party, due to the endless infighting and no attempt to resolve. And when Corbyn won his second leadership battle in 2016, there was a sense of acceptance and resignation among Labour MPs that this 'reality' was to go on for a little while longer.

However, there was a sense of calm in 2017 when then Prime Minister Theresa May called for a general election - Labour took a lot of seats from the Tories, but not enough to gain power. But that was fine because May didn't have a majority either. In Corbyn's rebels' minds, they were willing to wait some more in order to oust him. A small number were more inpatient than others as big names such as Chuka Umunna walked out of the Party and defected elsewhere, leading to further turbulence. This continued until Labour's heavy defeat in the polls in December 2019.

Of course, Corbyn had to leave. It is tradition that if you are a leader of a party that has lost an election, you wave that role goodbye. In truth, I was sad to see his time end the way it did. I felt he was partly responsibility for defeat but he should take pride in converting some, like me, from being anti-Corbyn to someone who I respect. A bit like Theresa May, I have the belief that it was his advisers that did him an injustice. He couldn't stop his super fans (known as Corbynistas) from being too tribal on social media, and because of his past rebellions, it was his name alone that was toxic to certain communities, namely the Jewish.

Mariah Carey (Image: Las Vegas Review-Journal)

I'll put this another way - to me, Jeremy Corbyn is the Mariah Carey of politics. Not so long ago, I watched a documentary about the singer and it was clear that while she was a sensation on stage, and created an enviable fan base, what made her the 'diva' was her backroom team. Any drama behind the scenes are often bound to be exploited for the world to see, hence why Carey - and Corbyn - attract negative press. And that impacts on what matters to them the most. For Carey, she wants number one singles, to which she hasn't had in the US since 2008 ('Touch My Body') and UK since 2000 (her 'Against All Odds' cover with Westlife). For Corbyn, positive publicity meant votes, to which he had very little amount of, despite his decent fan base.

With Corbyn's fan base so large and vocal, and his leadership lasting nearly four years - pretty good by modern standards - they are the people that Starmer has to win over in order for Labour to be in good shape before the next general election. There are early signs which show that he has a little mountain to climb as Corbynistas wanted Rebecca Long-Bailey as leader. In order for them to feel welcome, every Labour politician and adviser has a role to play in keeping an open mind, build trust and friendships, and no finger pointing if anything goes awry. These alone will put the Party in a good position moving forward. Remember, it takes two to tango.

It shouldn't be a remarkably difficult task. After all, it was Corbyn who introduced the Labour membership to Starmer in the first place. So if Corbynistas despise Starmer, but blessed every decision their hero made, at least acknowledge that if it wasn't for Corbyn, Starmer would never have been given the platform to even be considered for leader. And a similar message applies for those who are still passionately anti-Corbyn; Starmer was simply a name in some small corners of society before. Corbyn gave him an inch and now, he could be Prime Minister. Should Starmer continue to keep quiet and the peace, then as leader, he should inspire all Labour members to follow suit. Let's ditch the 'oh he's left wing' and 'oh he's right wing' nonsense and start the trend of everyone being civil to one another.