Who's the leader?

So, who is the new leader of Labour in England and Wales?  Did I hear you say Jeremy Corbyn?  Mmmm.  Try again.  Or let me rephrase the question.  Who do you think is the real new leader of Labour in England and Wales.  Ah, yes, a different answer.

Let us start with the facts.  Tom Watson was elected Deputy Leader. But was that just a front backed by the unions as a preamble for Tom Watson to take over the Labour leadership in due course?  One scenario could be:  Corbyn wins, Labour MPs immediately rebel (two months perhaps) and a second election is scheduled.  Tom Watson runs and wins second contest easily. 

Some more facts.   Tom’s support in the Union movement is total.  Louise Menche reckons he would be “an effective leader of the Opposition if he worked hard on understanding the shift he’d just made, and above all other things, controlled his temper and moderated his speech”.

And the reality?  Corbyn endures a truly dreadful first 48 hours as leader, with silence at the PLP, a fight over Remembrance Day poppies, and Labour women incensed at the sexism of their party.  By the end of Corbyn’s first day as leader Tom Watson had already made his move culminating with an extraordinary headline in the Times :  “Unions join attacks on Corbyn’s top team”.

One senior trade union source commentated: “I’m honestly shocked at how bad the operation has been for the past 48 hours.  I honestly thought [Mr Corbyn] would be better than this.”  Len McCluskey, the Unite leader who had hailed Mr Corbyn as the future, was among those said to be pushing for alternative candidates to lead Labour’s economic strategy.

In public, trade union bosses were barely more polite — either about Mr McDonnell, or on Mr Corbyn’s electoral appeal.  Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said that Mr Corbyn would have to “grow into the job”.  Recently knighted Sir Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB union… “Let’s see what the voters say.  Because at the end of the day, they are really the important ones.”

Are these not quite remarkable words barely three days after Corbyns victory?  The Unions, bastions of the left, move against the hardest left leader Labour has ever had?  The question is, why?  The answer is found in two words as you suspected as you started reading today: Tom Watson.

And the Unions place in all this?  Unite is Tom’s union.  He’s been running Unite candidates to get selected as Labour MPs.  They “Hailed Mr. Corbyn as the future” until Tom’s was elected Deputy Leader. Thanks for that. Now off you go Jeremy.  And forget not, Watson is very connected in the union movement with people like Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison.  

Labour MPs know that they need a person who can command armies. Someone clever.  Someone patriotic.  Someone pragmatic.  And someone who, if they get themselves a good speechwriter, is a potential prime minister. That person is someone for whom MPs have already voted.  That man is Tom Watson.