OWEN JONES has laid out the Labour Right’s strategy for remaining control of the party in the event Keir Starmer resigns.
Pressure has been mounting on the Labour leader in recent months and is likely to reach a tipping point if the party loses in Batley and Spen.
The political commentator believes the Labour Right will hold fire on calling for a leadership challenge until election rules have been changed to make a left run untenable.
Jones told Novara Media: “I think a big chunk of the right of the Labour Party I think there is good reason to believe are waiting to see what the result of the Unite General Secretary election is.
“Because Unite is the most influential trade union in. the country. The most influential trade union in the Labour Party and if Gerard Coyne the right wing candidate wins.
“That will then be used to clamp down on democracy within the Labour Party and to all sorts of very very terrifying bad things.”
He continued: “But also to rewrite the leadership rules properly a reversion to the electoral college for example.
“So you give a massive chuck of the votes weighted in favour of members of parliament.
“You change the nominations required to get a left winger on the ballot in the first place.
“And that would stop a left-winger getting on the ballot paper.”
Left wing United leadership candidate Howard Beckett has thrown his wieght in behind Steve Turner this week.
It came amid concern that rightwinger Gerard Coyne would be able to win the contect as the left vote would be split threeways.
After Beckett’s decision the running candidates are now Coyne, Turner and Sharon Graham.
Jones told Novara Media: “If he loses Batley and Spen Keir Starmer has to resign as leader of the Labour Party and the left has to thing very seriously about how we get some sort of candidate on the ballot paper in those circumstances.
“If people have left the Labour party over the last few months I would strongly recommend you join so that you have a vote in any contest.
“It does underline how important the Unite General Secretary election is.
“That is why Steve Turner has to win,” he continued.
“So for those of you who are angry that Howard Beckett is not in anymore after he withdrew to support Steve Turner that is a politically very very important battlefield in terms of for the left in British Society and within the Labour Party.
“But I think the right may hold their fire because they fear that at the moment until the leadership rules are changed the left has a chance of clawing back some power.”
Featured Image: Garry Knight @Flickr
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