[IsraelTimes] The deputy leader of UK’s Labour Party said Saturday he will step down once a new party chief is chosen, as an internal backlash against Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn intensified following the party’s dire showing in Thursday’s general election.And war appeared to be brewing between Corbyn’s hard-left faction in the party, which hopes to retain power in the wake of his departure, and moderates who had been sidelined in recent years, and who believe Labour must change direction if it hopes to once again appeal to a majority of British voters.
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, a top ally of Corbyn and his de facto No. 2, said that once the Labour chief steps down and a new leader and shadow cabinet are appointed, "I won’t be part of that shadow cabinet, I’ve done my bit."
Commenting on his party’s drubbing in the vote, McDonnell said: "We tried to bring the country together. It failed. We have to accept that, take it on the chin. We have to own that and then move on. We will all go now."
| But if they drive away the half a million hard left new Labourites who put Mr. Corbyn in the top spot, they’ll be right back in the pickle that led them to opening up membership to begin with. It’s enough to make the Stone of Scone weep pebbly tears of laughter. |
A survey on election day among voters who said they were not backing Labour found 43% cited the party leadership as the prime reason, followed by its Brexit stance (17%) and its economic policies (12%).