Meet the Moonies
The Politics Home web site carried an interesting article by Dave Watts the other day in which the former government minister and Unite official described Labour as a 'Moonie-like' sect under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.
I especially enjoyed his attack on Seumas Milne because Corbyn's right-hand man really does believe all the old Marxist claptrap about the role of 'vanguards' and a 'dictatorship of the proletariat' in the onward march towards socialism.
....Dictatorship does not necessarily mean the abolition of democracy for the class that exercises the dictatorship over other classes; but it does mean the abolition of democracy (or very material restriction, which is also a form of abolition) for the class over which, or against which, the dictatorship is exercised.
Vladimir Lenin
Not all Corbynistas sign up to this nonsense, of course, but the movers and shakers do and they're the ones calling the shots.
https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/news/78141/excl-labour-moonie-sect-under-jeremy-corbyn-says?
EXCL: Labour a 'Moonie-like sect' under Jeremy Corbyn, says ex-minister
Written by: Kevin Schofield Emilio Casalicchio
Labour has transformed into a "Moonie-like sect" under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, according to one of the party's former ministers.
https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/news/78141/excl-labour-moonie-sect-under-jeremy-corbyn-says?
EXCL: Labour a 'Moonie-like sect' under Jeremy Corbyn, says ex-minister
Written by: Kevin Schofield Emilio Casalicchio
Labour has transformed into a "Moonie-like sect" under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, according to one of the party's former ministers.
Former Labour minister Lord Watts has taken aim at embattled party leader Jeremy Corbyn
Credit: PA Images
In an outspoken attack, Dave Watts also accused pro-Corbyn group Momentum of not caring whether Labour wins the next election because many of its supporters are from "relatively affluent backgrounds" and won't be affected by a Tory government.
In particular, the former union official hit out at the privately-educated Seumus Milne, Mr Corbyn's £97,000-a-year spin doctor.
Writing exclusively for PoliticsHome, Lord Watts, who is supporting Owen Smith in the upcoming leadership election, said: “Up until this year I was a member of a serious left-of-centre political party whose focus was to win elections so that we could improve the lives of millions of ordinary people.
“It remains somewhat of a mystery to me how in such a short period of time we have been transformed into a Moonie-like political sect.”
The former government whip added: “The present leadership of the party, Momentum and other associated left wing groups appear to think that their own individual pious principles are more important than winning elections.
“I am angered by the fact that many of those who espouse such views appear to be from relatively affluent backgrounds and for whom the re-election of a right wing Conservative governments has little effect.
Lord Watts argued that nobody illustrated the point better than Mr Corbyn's “right hand man” Seamus Milne.
“Seumas is the son of the ex BBC Director General, he was educated at a school which costs over £30,000 a year, worked as the Guardian’s Associate Editor before taking his current role at a cost of £97,000 a year to the taxpayer,” he wrote.
“For people like Seumas losing elections are of little consequence.”
The former Unite shop steward urged supporters of Mr Corbyn to ask themselves why the embattled leader had so little support among his MPs and if there was any evidence Labour could win an election under his leadership.
He concluded: “Continuing to behave like a left wing sect that speaks only to a small number of its adoring fans is the road to electoral disaster.”
'STRONG PARTY'
At a rally in Milton Keynes yesterday, Mr Corbyn insisted Labour was a “strong party” and with the support of its 500,000 members could win an election with him at its helm.
He said the ongoing leadership race was about “how we enthuse, excite and mobilise people to win things in their community and ultimately win things for all communities".
Mr Corbyn faces a leadership challenge from Mr Smith following an overwhelming vote of no confidence among his MPs and mass resignations from his shadow ministerial team.
Credit: PA Images
In an outspoken attack, Dave Watts also accused pro-Corbyn group Momentum of not caring whether Labour wins the next election because many of its supporters are from "relatively affluent backgrounds" and won't be affected by a Tory government.
In particular, the former union official hit out at the privately-educated Seumus Milne, Mr Corbyn's £97,000-a-year spin doctor.
Writing exclusively for PoliticsHome, Lord Watts, who is supporting Owen Smith in the upcoming leadership election, said: “Up until this year I was a member of a serious left-of-centre political party whose focus was to win elections so that we could improve the lives of millions of ordinary people.
“It remains somewhat of a mystery to me how in such a short period of time we have been transformed into a Moonie-like political sect.”
The former government whip added: “The present leadership of the party, Momentum and other associated left wing groups appear to think that their own individual pious principles are more important than winning elections.
“I am angered by the fact that many of those who espouse such views appear to be from relatively affluent backgrounds and for whom the re-election of a right wing Conservative governments has little effect.
Lord Watts argued that nobody illustrated the point better than Mr Corbyn's “right hand man” Seamus Milne.
“Seumas is the son of the ex BBC Director General, he was educated at a school which costs over £30,000 a year, worked as the Guardian’s Associate Editor before taking his current role at a cost of £97,000 a year to the taxpayer,” he wrote.
“For people like Seumas losing elections are of little consequence.”
The former Unite shop steward urged supporters of Mr Corbyn to ask themselves why the embattled leader had so little support among his MPs and if there was any evidence Labour could win an election under his leadership.
He concluded: “Continuing to behave like a left wing sect that speaks only to a small number of its adoring fans is the road to electoral disaster.”
'STRONG PARTY'
At a rally in Milton Keynes yesterday, Mr Corbyn insisted Labour was a “strong party” and with the support of its 500,000 members could win an election with him at its helm.
He said the ongoing leadership race was about “how we enthuse, excite and mobilise people to win things in their community and ultimately win things for all communities".
Mr Corbyn faces a leadership challenge from Mr Smith following an overwhelming vote of no confidence among his MPs and mass resignations from his shadow ministerial team.
