When news of Britain’s decision to leave the EU hit, Alice Marples, 27, from Northumberland rushed to sign up to the Labour party. The main reason? Jeremy Corbyn. Marples believes in the values he stands for and also wanted to show her support for the main opposition party in the coming months.
But just two days later, Corbyn’s role looks uncertain, with widespread concern among Labour MPs and the shadow cabinet about his ability to lead the party.
Critics from within the Labour party claim he didn’t do enough to make the case for remain, a sentiment that has led to shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn being sacked, which in turn prompted shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander to quit.. In response, other shadow cabinet members followed. These included Gloria De Piero, shadow minister for young people, Ian Murray, shadow Scottish secretary, Lucy Powell, shadow education secretary, Kerry McCarthy, shadow environment secretary, Seema Malhotra, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, and Lillian Greenwood, shadow transport secretary.
As well as facing a party in turmoil, voters such as Marples – who backed remain in the EU referendum – are also divided on how Labour should move forward. “When I found out about Benn leaving I was immediately worried,” she says. “I knew that the newspapers would have a field day, but I don’t like Benn – he was on the wrong side of the Iraq war debate and is far too Blairite for me. Good riddance is how I feel, basically.”
Marples believes those who are against Corbyn – such as Benn – are bad for the party’s future. “Corbyn wants to unite the party. Lots of people are critical of him, but I don’t know why,” she says. “Why don’t the higher echelons of the Labour party listen to what the members are telling them? If people got behind Corbyn, Labour could really do something.”
While Marples may have been won over, however, not everyone is. Paul Unwin, 58, from London, who has been a Labour member for 15 years, believes that Corbyn was politically ineffective throughout the referendum. “He refused to share a platform with David Cameron and to be pro-EU. He has failed in this fundamental task and that is utterly tragic. He should go.”
Unwin says he knows some people are sticking by Corbyn, but he thinks he is simply not the right person to lead the party at this time. “All his political experience is oppositional and what we need in a leader is the opposite.”
Benn’s departure is a huge loss for the party, says Unwin. “What I am hoping will happen now is that a consortium of David Miliband, Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper will pull together.” Unwin adds that David Miliband would make a great leader of the party. “We need someone who can savage Brexit rightwing Tories, who are a bunch of flakes. I’ve never been more worried about my country.”
Nicholas Mitchell, 18, from London joined Labour last November because he felt Corbyn was taking the party in the wrong direction and wanted to have his say. “I understand what Corbyn has done but it’s time he resigned. He has shown incompetence in the last few months and he has let a lot of Labour voters down. He hasn’t provided effective opposition in the last few months.”
Even those who had been supporting Corbyn are now questioning him. Mick Fagan joined the party to back Corbyn’s bid for leadership, but now says he understands some of the media’s opposition to him. “His impact on the party has been about growing membership and hopefully reminding people what Labour stands for – working-class interests etc. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been to unite the party, nor the traditional Labour vote. I’m thankful he became leader, but it’s time to go,” he says.
Despite voices calling for change, however, there is still a huge amount of support for Corbyn among party members. Nicola Doyle, 37, from Doncaster, says Corbyn was a huge inspiration for her and she rejoined the party when he was elected – after leaving over the Iraq war – because she felt he represented what Labour stood for.
“When I woke up to the news about Benn I felt very disappointed. It’s a very dark time right now, and more than ever we need to be united. It feels like careerism and opportunism,” she says.
“There’s always been discontent about Corbyn especially from Blair supporters, and they are using Brexit to undermine his leadership. Jeremy Corbyn has inspired a lot of young people to get interested , and that’s partly why so many voted in this referendum. He surpassed expectations, Labour has won every mayoral contest, rebuilt and regrouped.”
Donna Padgham, who also joined the party when Corbyn was elected, agrees. “I feel strongly that he cares about the people who are disabled and working class. If the Labour party decides to oust him, I will be cancelling my membership. It’s about time the Labour party realised that we the members do not want another leader, we want the kind, caring man we voted in. If the party goes ahead with this I will urge all members not to vote at all in choosing another leader. We voted for one already and we want him to stay.”
Lauren Tobia, 54, from Bristol says: “I am totally disgusted by the behaviour of those who at such a delicate time are using their energies to try to fracture the Labour party. This helps no one except their own self-serving struggle for power. The membership of the party elected them to represent our views and principles, not their careers.”
Doyle backs up this sentiment and says in an ideal world there would be another referendum. However, to achieve that and to effect change in the UK, unity is needed. “We need solidarity and support for our leader and confidence in him. My message to the Labour party is that it must listen to what members are asking and wanting. I want to see lots of unity, we’re in scary times.”
