Corbyn and the Moderate Labour Splitters

So it looks like some of the moderate Labour MPs have finally had enough and decided to go, with Frank Field resigning being what could be the start of a major split.

For Frank as well as others it is apparently the anti-Semitism issue that matters, this is the thing that has brought it to a head.

Now I oppose Corbyn as leader of Labour (and will not be voting for them again unless the Far Left is booted out - which could take quite a time) but I do wonder about the sudden attack of conscience from these moderates.

Its almost as if they are looking for a moral reason for going which sounds to me really what is called virtue signalling, that is a decision or statement that purports to show the importance and depth of ones basic and deep moral values but is in reality an exercise in using the appeal to conscience to show one's status amongst (what you identify as) “right thinking” people. This reflects how identity politics has created the mind set amongst the liberal intellectual class that one's views and statements on gender and race issues are of such extraordinary importance that other more mundane political issues like economics and foreign policy are of lesser value.

I mean the moderates in Labour have known all along about the Corbyn/McDonnell gangs’ mad views on economics (e.g. the policy of nationalising the water companies without proper compensation) and foreign and security policy (i.e. hating NATO and pretending to support peace in NI by only ever talking to hard line republicans). Didn’t they care about all that quite important stuff ?

All the latest revelations that are coming up now about what Corbyn did and said over the years in support of the Palestinians were all known when he was elected. How come these moderates are now only being so horrified about Corbyn's historic utterances ? I'm not sure it makes much sense.

One lesson from this disaster should be that placating the Far Left who are far more ruthless in obtaining their aims than moderates is just stupid. Labour had the opportunity to remove the likes of Corbyn in the past but just ended up treating him and his ilk as eccentrics to be indulged. Frank Field even nominated Corbyn as leader ! As usual moderate liberal types in the West lack the ability to forcefully argue for and implement difficult but necessary measures. You can see that in the fatal lack of sense and purpose in implementing immigration rules in Western countries that has directly led to the rise of populism. That failing is also because arguments about immigration have become so bound up in the moral fervour surrounding identity politics and minority rights amongst the Western liberal intellectual class.

I don’t see any way out of this mess for centrists until there is a sea change in their attitudes to these issues. Otherwise populists of Left and Right will continue to gain ground and the future looks bleak for sensible centrist pragmatic politics.