Posted by Tomski on February 20, 2023, 2:19 pm, in reply to "Thanks Ian"
Corbyn was an accidental vehicle for the left in the LP, and the movement itself was powered by the people. It wasn't a personality cult. I corresponded with the likes of Emesberger (who joined the LP when he was in the UK briefly : )), Machover and members of our own chapter who were quite radical although we had a single zionist (her sister wasn't : )). We collectively thought there was a chance and went for it. For me, to denigrate people that were involved, and there were masses of like-minded people, by typifying them as patsies, is beyond pale. I met these people, I talked to them. Some realised we have a massive task in front of us, especially when the msm started to stick the knives in.
I was nominated as a local councillor. I wasn't that keen, but got persuaded. Soon after nomination, and during electioneering (local election), I was asked to attend the meeting in LP HQ in central London. It was a kangaroo court, and I was out, and replaced by another HQ-friendly candidate (with the same first name : )) parachuted into the local territory. That HQ panel was vicious! Now, this was well before it was realised that the LP HQ machinery was keen in eliminating anyone with associated tinge of socialism. The local chapter was appalled.
Needless to say our local MP was Progress (saw her conspiring with McNichols in the pub fwiw). In other words, the old guard was ready. Anyway, that was in 2016 and I left the next year or so. Nothing tried, nothing gained.
As a reminder, it wasn't about Corbyn. Perhaps if we had Stalin instead, we may have had more traction : ). Cynics had a 50/50 chance in this instance.