The left’s latest efforts to get the whip restored to Corbyn failed again last night, as a Labour NEC motion to bring him back into the fold fell massively short: according to LabourList the final tally showed 23 votes against, 14 in favour, and one abstention. Commiserations, Laura Pidcock.

The motion, proposed by union rep Ian Murray and local party rep Nadia Jama, claimed that Sir Keir’s suspending of Corbyn’s whip in November 2020 was “deeply divisive” and “disrespectful”. They then begged Labour Chief Whip Alan Campbell to see sense and bring the old boy back into the fold. Campbell reminded everyone Corbyn still hasn’t sufficiently apologised for the rampant antisemitism that arose within the Party under his leadership.

Speaking after the vote, Corbyn himself put out a statement:

“I am very thankful to the members of Labour’s NEC who will raise the issue of the removal of my parliamentary whip today. I was elected on a Labour Party mandate by the people of Islington North […]

Today’s NEC vote and Keir Starmer’s ongoing decision to bar me from sitting as a Labour MP is disappointing… The struggle for peace, justice and sustainability goes on.”

“The struggle for peace, justice and sustainability goes on”. Almost sounds like a party slogan…