The Shadow Cabinet has split all ways on what to do about welfare. Andy Burnham says he wants a reasoned amendment to the second reading of the welfare reform and work bill that protests some of the policies, but I understand he indicated in Shadow Cabinet that he would go along with the official party line anyway when the vote comes.
There is, though, quite a lot of confidence that Harman will capitulate and allow a reasoned amendment, which would make things much easier. If she does not, then not opposing the legislation will be ‘difficult’ for Yvette Cooper, sources on her campaign team say, given rebelling against the party would have huge consequences for her current position as Shadow Home Secretary.
Liz Kendall supports Harman and has said so publicly, while Jeremy Corbyn does not hold a front bench role, and is also one of the most rebellious MPs out there, which may mean he is quite happy to rebel yet again.
It is worth noting that a number of prominent figures from the 2010 intake of Labour MPs have backed Harman, even though many of them are supporting candidates such as Cooper and Andy who are opposed to the Labour line on the two-child limit for tax credits and the plan to abstain on the second reading of the bill. Those include Rachel Reeves, who supports Burnham; Chris Leslie, who is backing Cooper; Shabana Mahmood, also a Cooper supporter; and Chuka Umunna, Tristram Hunt and Emma Reynolds, who all back Kendall. A party source says the ‘ambitious younger generation is flexing its muscles – people who want to win again and aren’t prepared to mess around and spend their best years languishing in opposition’.
Whether the ambitious younger generation will get a hearing or just end up being branded ‘Tories’ too by those who are annoyed by the stance Harman has pursued is another matter.
But what does seem to be happening is that the party is starting to have a proper debate about how it can win again. Of course, there are some who believe it would be better to lose with style than to be pragmatic, and they may well support Jeremy Corbyn. But there are others who think that Labour can win on a left-wing platform opposing welfare cuts but with a more charismatic leader, and they and their opponents who want a return to the centre ground are finally starting to engage rather than everyone bleating pointlessly about ‘aspiration’. If nothing else, the Labour leadership contest seems to be breathing independently after this row.
Comments