While Starmer may make all the right noises on Corbyn’s disastrous leadership now it’s in the rear view mirror, he still can’t answer the direct question of why he told voters to vote for Jeremy – “a personal friend” – at two general elections. Even last night, when asked by Beth Rigby, he can only offer a word salad:

“Well look, I think in 2017 and 2019, the Labour Party lost its way. And that’s why my first words as Labour leader… were to rip anti-semitism out from its roots… every Labour party member and activist always wants a Labour government but I’m not going to shy away from the fact that we lost our way in recent years… which is why I was utterly determined to change our party…”

Despite repeated questioning, he can’t give a coherent answer. Wonder why…

Infighting continues in Labourland, as Diane Abbott wrote a scathing letter last night to her own party, claiming that she “will not get a fair hearing” in the racism investigation into her because… of racism. The Labour MP had the whip withdrawn over her notorious comments about Jewish people to the Observer. Rebuking the party’s investigation, she wrote:

“The internal Labour Party disciplinary against me is fraudulent…As a Black woman, and someone on the left of the Labour Party, I have unfortunately been forced to reach the conclusion that I will not get a fair hearing from this Labour leadership.”

Her close friend Jeremy Corbyn was quick to her defence, claiming that the “the latest stitch up” against Abbott a “disgrace“. Fellow Labour lefty MP Beth Winter joined in, calling the party’s candidate selection process “undemocratic and discriminatory” after she lost out to a front bench colleague. Government in waiting…

Last week’s Redfield and Wilton polling for Times Radio showed Jeremy Corbyn could win a whopping 15% of the vote in the London Mayoral Election. If he stood, he’d come in third, denying Sadiq a third term and handing victory to Susan Hall and the Conservatives. Guido has already endorsed Jezza – #Tories4Corbyn is back – and wants him to give it a go. While he thinks it over, Guido’s News Editor Adam Cherry hit the streets of London this morning to find out if voters want Jeremy to enter the race as much as the Tories…

Recent polling by Redfield and Wilton Strategies has blown the London Mayoral race wide open. What was once seen as a foregone conclusion for Sadiq is now anyone’s game: if Jezza gives it a go, YouGov say he’ll get at least 15% of the vote, denying Khan a third term. While Corbyn hasn’t yet committed to a run, Guido thinks London needs strong leadership, and a voice for underrepresented communities. Someone with the skills and experience necessary to revive the city. Jeremy Corbyn is the perfect person to ensure Susan Hall does that, so for that reason Guido is relaunching #Tories4Corbyn.

This is not the first time Guido has thrown his full support behind Jeremy’s campaign. We did the same in 2015, with great success. We even held a victory party…

Do your duty, Jeremy. Guido will back you again…

Dramatic new polling for Times Radio by Redfield and Wilton Strategies shows Jeremy Corbyn could hand the London mayoralty to Susan Hall and the Conservatives, with Sadiq Khan taking 25% of the vote to Hall’s 30%, and the former Labour leader coming third on 15% if he stands as an independent candidate next year. Something he hasn’t yet ruled out…

More than 21% of voters who backed Khan last time say they’d now vote for Corbyn. Next year’s mayoral election is the first to be held under the first-past-the-post system, so there are no second preference votes. Corbyn would eat into Khan’s support and deny him a third term. 

Even more surprising is the state of play for the Tories even without Jeremy’s assistance. The same poll shows Khan on 33% and Hall on 32% when Corbyn isn’t included. A massive boost for Hall’s candidacy. You’d think Rishi would at least have tweeted “congratulations” when she won the selection…

The Labour Party could face a bill in the region of £4,000,000 for a legal case against Corbyn-era insiders, with the trial not due to take place until the second half of 2024 – right before a potential election. So far, the party has coughed up £503,260 in a suit against five ex-staffers, including Corbyn’s Chief of Staff Karie Murphy and Seamus Milne. The legal action was launched by Labour in response to the 2020 leaking of an internal report on antisemitism – with the staffers the prime suspects. Labour can’t be sure though… three investigations failed to identify the source of the leak.

According to The Guardian, the £503,260 relates to a failed hearing to try and access Karie Murphy’s emails – for which an appeal was denied – whilst the party was this month ordered by the High Court to stump up £90,000 for Murphy’s legal costs. Labour have also paid out £99,108 dealing with an application by the staffers to have the suit throw out and £103,626 in an anonymity application for those named in the report. A pro-Starmer NEC member described the case as a “monumental waste of members’ and affiliates’ money” pursuing a “pointless political vendetta”.