Leadership elections can be traumatic events for political parties. They dismantle the thin veneer of supposed party unity and reveal organisations weakened by different ideological factions, personal ambitions and deeply-held prejudices.
Such elections place a disproportionate emphasis on the role of the leader. While the leader gives a general direction to a political party, much also relies on appointed spokespersons, the media and events. A political party is not a one-man show; it is a veritable political machine that can mobilise support whenever needed.
Nonetheless, the leader is always the first to pay for the price of electoral failure. The latest British election led to the resignation of both Labour leader Ed Miliband and Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg.
The election was dominated by presidential-style politics where Miliband’s uncomfortable and awkward demeanour contrasted with David Cameron’s polished and confident performance.
It was a general election that led to a significant change in thepolitical makeup of Westminster. The Liberal Democrats saw their support plummet. The Labour Party has been consigned to a further five years in the political wilderness. The SNP garnered 56 out of the 59 Scottish seats in the House of Commons. Labour can no longer count on the support it once enjoyed in Scotland.
Members of the Labour Party are voting to elect a new leader (voting opened on August 14 and ends on September 11). Four candidates are running: Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper, Jeremy Corbyn and Liz Kendall.
The chosen candidate will have a mammoth task ahead. The party currently comes across as being unable to communicate its vision for Britain. This is partly due to an identity crisis borne out of the different factions within the party; Blairites, moderates, trade unionists, socialists and the hard left.
The party, as it currently stands, also appears to be weak in fulfilling its constitutional duty to be an effective Opposition. The Conservative Party has been returned to Westminster with a larger share of seats and an outright majority. With the major Opposition parties in disarray, the government is in a strong position to pass through controversial legislation with the least amount of effective parliamentary scrutiny.
The man who seems to be the favourite to lead this Opposition is Corbyn, a 66 year old socialist firebrand. Corbyn is unlike any other Labour leader of the past 30 years. He favours the renationalisation of railways, public investment in industry and higher taxes for high-income brackets and corporations.
He has often argued in favour of the abolition of the monarchy and the founding of a federal republic. In many respects, he is the heir to Tony Benn. If elected, he would be the most radical socialist leader since Michael Foot.
He represents a political view which has long been sidelined to the fringes of party politics
Corbyn has also expressed some rather controversial views. He once described Hamas and Hezbollah as “friends” (a statement he would later qualify) and he has defended a controversial Anglican priest who suggested Israel was linked to 9/11.
Despite this, Corbyn is attracting the support of a number of individuals within the Labour Party. Younger voters are lending their support to his campaign. The two largest unions in Britain are also backing his candidature.
A recent YouGov survey predicted that he will win the leadership election with 53 per cent of first-preference votes; ahead of Burnham (21 per cent), Cooper (18 per cent) and Kendall (eight per cent).
Corbyn does not command the same support within the parliamentary party. He struggled to receive the required number of nominations needed for his candidature. Moreover, a number of MPs and former party grandees have voiced their displeasure at his surge in popularity.
Writing in The Guardian, Tony Blair made an impassioned appeal to all eligible voters: “It doesn’t matter whether you’re on the left, right or centre of the party, whether you used to support me or hate me… please understand the danger we are in.”
Alistair Campbell was equally dismissive of Corbyn, warning that his election would show that Labour had “given up on being a serious party of government”.
Their views are not to be dismissed. While Corbyn successfully energised the party grassroots during the leadership election, he faces a sceptical and a divided electorate during the forthcoming general election.
This election will be fought in a UK that is constantly changing and within a union which is getting weaker. The centre-left platform that Corbyn represents is increasingly divided and may fragment further should he be elected.
However, there is an undeniable appeal which has endeared him to several individuals. In a post-ideological political system which prizes compromise, Corbyn’s views are perceived to be radical and firm.
He represents a political view which has long been sidelined to the fringes of party politics.
Corbyn also stands in contrast to over-rehearsed and polished politics. His style and approach are perceived to be authentic and refreshing by an electorate that has long been sceptical of politicians and their intentions.
His emergence from the shadows of the party implies that party systems have ceased to be platforms for significant political debate and the exchange of powerful ideas. Their role hasmorphed into that of mere marketers of policy positions.
Despite this, highly-ideological and radical politics have limited electoral appeal. Electionsare fought and won on thecentre-ground and several political parties had to retract their most radical policies once they found themselves in the seatof government.
Corbyn appears to be the heir to a long tradition of British political radicalism which energises and appeals to political grassroots. This same radicalism, however, does not appeal to the wider electorate.
Therein lies Corbyn’s challenge should he be elected leader.
andre.deb@gmail.com