Second MP under investigation in Labour party antisemitism row https://t.co/C0c3V0uiY4

— Guardian politics (@GdnPolitics) July 28, 2018

Meanwhile the latest Tweet that’s doing the rounds

We’ve just been sent this post.

There’s not much to say, apart from this is what antisemitism looked like in 1930’s Germany. But, it’s 2018 & from a supporter of a mainstream political party. @UKLabour #LabourAntisemitism pic.twitter.com/wjYAQHTnuM

— #LabourAntisemitism (@GnasherJew) July 28, 2018

This could play out very badly

After disciplinary steps were taken first LAB MP critic of the party’s antisemitism approach, Dame Margaret Hodge, there’s now news that another outspoken critic of the leadership, Ian Austin, is also to face action from the party.

What this does, of course, is keep the row in the public eye and create the impression of a divided party. It suggests that Team Corbyn’s answer to the crisis is get get tough on the internal critics in the party in the hope that this will eventually quieten down. Maybe it will but there’s a big chance that it won’t.

It is noticeable how at recent PMQs TMay has used the row to attack Corbyn and we should expect more of that. It gives the beleaguered Tory leader a peg to raise questions over Corbyn’s whole political background something that failed to resonate during the GE2017 campaign.

Clearly it is in TMay’s interest at this time to portray in Corbyn in the most negative light. The threat of him becoming PM is the main plank of her team’s efforts to maintain the semblance of party discipline during the Brexit split. You can expect a lot more of this in her conference speech.

Uniting the blue team against the threat of a Corbyn government is made much easier if the actions of the LAB leadership itself provide the material.

It is noticeable that LAB’s lead in the polls has appeared to evaporate and the latest ones from YouGov and Ipsos in the past week both have CON and LAB level pegging on 38% each.

Mike Smithson

Follow @MSmithsonPB

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