Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

Labour moderates hold talks on dealing with leadership result

Anti-Corbynite planning for the aftermath of what looks like certain victory for the Islington socialist in the Labour leadership contest is still in disarray. Though Chuka Umunna’s intervention calling for ‘solidarity’ earlier this week was a bold move designed to take some of the poison out of the contest, it hasn’t gone down well in some quarters, with those involved in the other campaigns feeling rather frustrated that he is talking as though it’s a done deal (though his attitude on the result is understandable), and others irritated by the suggestion that Umunna could work with Jeremy Corbyn. But as I wrote earlier this week, Umunna’s speech was one of the first signs that the anti-Corbynites still have some political nous.

What’s not yet clear, though, is who has both the nous and the appeal to lead an effective resistance in the party.

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