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26 September 2016

Jeremy Corbyn shows his support for a campaign asking him to change his own cabinet

The newly re-annointed Labour leader was shown holding a sign calling for a shadow minister for mental health.

By Media Mole

Phew. So Jeremy Corbyn got his expected victory. This mole, neutral in Labour party factional matters, has little opinion on the result, although I am of course heartily relieved to see the end of all that hustings kerfuffle. Labour can get on with discussing policy.

It seems now, then, is the perfect time for activists and MPs to put their proposals to the leadership. The timing is particularly good with every political journalist in the country currently installed in Liverpool for Labour Party conference.

One set of savvy campaigners evidently felt the same. They managed to get their sign, asking Corbyn to bring back the shadow minister for mental health post he scrapped in July, in front of the man himself  who promptly posed with their request.

Now, this mole is sympathetic. Of course, to some it may seem ludicrous that Corbyn posed with a sign calling for something entierly within his power to achieve.

But after so many years as a backbench provocateur, could it not be that posing with signs is just second-nature for Corbyn, and groups of activists near-impossible to avoid? Could it be that he, trotting across the conference floor, could not help being pulled towards the nearest placard, caught in its pull like a moth to a socialist flame? Is he suckered by slogans? Magnatised by movements? 

With such an affliction, party conference must be a minefield.

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