On Monday, it was the shadow Defence Secretary rather than the shadow Chancellor who made the biggest splash with their speech. Alas it was for the wrong reason — Clive Lewis had his speech changed at last minute by Seumas Milne to remove a pledge that Labour ‘would not seek to change’ its support for the renewal of Trident.
Since then there has been much confusion over who in the party thinks what. While Corbyn’s office changed the speech — leading Lewis to allegedly punch a wall — the shadow Defence Secretary has since told the Guardian that he ‘won’t be coming back to conference between now and the next election to try to undo the policy we have on Trident as things stand’.
While it’s unclear whether Jeremy Corbyn actually meant for this to be the party’s policy, this hasn’t stopped his comrades from jumping on the news. Step forward John Woodcock. Although the MP for Barrow and Furness is one of Corbyn’s most outspoken critics — previously describing his PMQs performance as a ‘f—ing disaster’ — he has taken to Twitter to lavish the dear leader with praise for taking this bold step — even if it was accidental:
Jeremy said he wanted to wipe slate clean. Intervening after his office tried to get in way of Clive's Trident pledge hugely appreciated.
— Lord Walney (@LordWalney) September 26, 2016
I have often been critical but Jeremy deserves huge credit for putting party first on Trident. Gives substance to his promise of new start.
— Lord Walney (@LordWalney) September 26, 2016
Well, they do say kill them with kindness…
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