EU referendum, brexit and the aftermath

I disagree with Corbyn on Trident, on Syria and I would have liked him to demand stronger reforms from Europe. I disagreed with Miliband on a lot more – but I respected him as a politician of principle and the elected leader.

In your minds I suspect some of you crave the emergence of a less slick, more plebeian Blair: somebody to fight populism with populism. The referendum was won by clowns: Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage. If we in Labour want to summon up our own populist clown let’s think hard before doing so. We need a careful process of analysis and rebuilding, based on evidence not hysteria.

These are good points well made. The shadow cabinet don't seem to agree, though. Obviously I dont want a populist clown. I want someone who can maintain the respect of his own cabinet, has some experience of running an organisation rather than a protest group, and can summon real support from beyond his own small political faction. Compared to the electorate, the membership that elected him is tiny.

About half the shadow cabinet has just resigned. I wish it had happened sooner, and I really hope we get a serious leader this time.