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I’ve never been attacked from the left before . . .

Jeremy Corybn and I have a row about PR.

By Mehdi Hasan

How can you not like Jeremy Corbyn? Good old-fashioned lefty, hard-working local MP, pro-Palestinian, anti-war, outspoken on climate change (in contrast to his odd, climate-change-denying brother . . . )

But yesterday, in a live discussion on the Iranian-owned, English-language satellite channel Press TV, Corbyn reminded me of how ugly, dispiriting and out-of-touch Labour tribalism can be. He objected to my support for proportional representation, attempted a half-hearted defence of our monstrously unfair first-past-the-post system and accused me of belittling the arguments in favour of the fabled “constituency link” out of a supposed animus towards “the working class” and towards — specifically — Labour’s safe seats.

I’m not often left speechless — but then I’m not often attacked from the left.

Let me be clear. I oppose all safe seats — David Cameron’s Witney constituency as well as Corbyn’s Islington North seat. I’m a democrat first, a leftist second. And as I said at the Vote for a Change launch meeting last year, in a democracy, no politician should be “safe” from the wrath of the voters.

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Does that not make sense, Jeremy?

 

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Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
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