Polls are now open in the Batley & Spen by-election, and the Tories aren’t the only ones hoping they’ll storm to victory. In a rare moment of bipartisan consensus, the TrotsApp crowd are also quite openly banking on a Labour car-crash – and using it as an opportunity to ram through a more left-wing candidate in any looming leadership challenge. The Socialist Campaign Group are even reported to have met last night to discuss the best strategy for capitalising on the loss. Brace for crocodile tears over the result come tomorrow morning…

Inevitably Owen Jones is at the front of the pack. Ever since Labour lost in Hartlepool, Owen’s been beating the drum for a far-left takeover of the party, and now he’s made his big pitch:

“If Labour lose the Batley and Spen by election, Starmer will have to resign…if Keir Starmer resigns, then you need 20 MPs, and the left would then have a very good chance at putting a candidate forward. A lot of people would say John McDonnell would be the obvious candidate in that particular circumstance.”

Yes, John McDonnell is the man to help rebuild the Red Wall he helped destroy in 2019. Obviously. 

Team Novara’s not far behind, with Aaron Bastani saying “Keir Starmer is now the worst person, at the worst moment, to lead the Labour Party“, and claiming George Galloway “could leave Starmer staring into the abyss”. Ash Sarkar also declared “it would be disastrous to put Keir Starmer in post until the next general election”. It’s certainly been amusing to watch them all pretend they’re really unhappy about Galloway’s arrival…

Then there are the MPs. Diane Abbott’s already suggested “it must surely be curtains” for Starmer if Labour lose, Angela Rayner is doing her best to act like she’s not about to mount a leadership challenge, and even Lisa Nandy is thinking of giving it another go. And to think this by-election was all about “local issues”…