-
Maybe people think its divided when they see things like Starmer ejecting Corbyn from the party and purging the left? If he's generating those headlines, then thats whats sticking.
Sure, of course its a two way thing.
That said, its not as if Starmer went into leadership with a plan to purge. He tried diplomacy and I expect realised that short of magically transforming into Jeremy Corbyn himself, was never going to have a constructive discourse with Corbyn fanatics. Once in that position, what choices does he have available to him? Spending the next few years infighting with people who will never accept his politics or attempting to unify the party and accept the cost/damage of losing some members?
And for what its worth, I like Jeremy Corbyn. He's a man, mostly, of great principle. Somebody who believes in a fairer world. On the other hand, he's also a man who repeatedly supressed reports into antisemitism and was found to have presided over the party during a period in which it was found to have broken the law.
From the EHRC report:
The watchdog said its analysis "points to a culture within the party which, at best, did not do enough to prevent anti-Semitism and, at worst, could be seen to accept it".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54731222
The issue of anti semitism was used as a stick to beat Labour to great effect in the run up to the 2019 GE and its an issue that had to be dealt with. Suspending a member who was responsible for the party during that period should not be seen as a purge.
Stonehedge-
He tried diplomacy
What the fuck?
He literally made a bunch of pledges to the Labour Left* and then completely reneged on them, and shortly kicked all the left out of his cabinet. There was no diplomacy at all.
I have no idea why he's doing this to be honest. While the heavily right wing tabloids pressed everyone into hating Corbyn (which he certainly didn't counter at all well) left wing policies themselves are still immensely popular - nationalising public services, taxing the rich increasing nhs spending etc.
I can only think Starmer's plan to win the next election is to get Murdoch's support with a bunch of economically right wing policies a la Blair.
(*like isn't Labour supposed to be a left wing party?)
Jezston
Maybe people think its divided when they see things like Starmer ejecting Corbyn from the party and purging the left? If he's generating those headlines, then thats whats sticking.