Britain's new prime minister has gotten some good news. The Labour party is undergoing a leadership battle that few really expected not long ago. It's the result of the same Brexit vote that led former prime minister Cameron to resign and to be replaced by new prime minister May. Labour supported the Remain forces in the Brexit referendum, but the current Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, gave only marginal support in that effort. Corbyn had been a long time foe of British membership in the EU, and that view came through clearly during the campaign. In fact, the biggest surprise in the Brexit voting was just what a large percentage of the votes to leave the EU came from Labour strongholds.
Not long after the Brexit results came in, the Labour members of Parliament voted overwhelmingly against Corbyn when a vote of no confidence in his leadership was called. Corbyn's response was to announce that the MP's had not selected him and that they could not remove him. He just stayed on.
That led to a leadership contest getting underway. Corbyn's main (and only) opponent so far is another Labour MP who would be the first female Leader of Labour as well as it's first openly gay leader. Over the next few months, Labour voters will get to have their say about the leadership of their party. Things are now so tense, however, that we may soon see Labour MP's leaving the party and moving to the Liberal Democrats or somewhere else.
There's an old political adage which says that if one's political opponent is committing suicide, one should not interfere. Prime minister May is now presented with that opportunity. Short of passing out poisoned beverages to its members, Labour is doing all it can to destroy itself.
Not long after the Brexit results came in, the Labour members of Parliament voted overwhelmingly against Corbyn when a vote of no confidence in his leadership was called. Corbyn's response was to announce that the MP's had not selected him and that they could not remove him. He just stayed on.
That led to a leadership contest getting underway. Corbyn's main (and only) opponent so far is another Labour MP who would be the first female Leader of Labour as well as it's first openly gay leader. Over the next few months, Labour voters will get to have their say about the leadership of their party. Things are now so tense, however, that we may soon see Labour MP's leaving the party and moving to the Liberal Democrats or somewhere else.
There's an old political adage which says that if one's political opponent is committing suicide, one should not interfere. Prime minister May is now presented with that opportunity. Short of passing out poisoned beverages to its members, Labour is doing all it can to destroy itself.
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