Corbyn's Response To May's Statement.

[Deskdiary]

An utterly fatuous response from COB?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43380217

[TheChair]

You day fatuous, some of us say extremely pertinent.

[Hazi-Hammenuhoth]

What else would you expect?

[ichkeria]

it struck completely the wrong note and roused the ire of the House. A succession of honourable Labour politicians, many of whom have been pushing for tougher action on the Kremlin for months/years, got up to speak after him and must have been heartily embarrassed by him.
The issue of Russian donations to the Tory party is a real one, but this was not the place to raise that. Nor did it make sense for him to witter on about "dialogue".
It just shows that he is a naturally divisive politico who places party politics above anything else I'm afraid.

[youngmafbog]

It's the way he is. Usually when a country is "under threat" MP's from all parties gather round and postpone getting political points.

But JC does not really like the UK in fact I would go as far to say he actually hates it judging on many of his statements so what would you expect?

Generally I think he has made a bit of a political faux pas on this one and also lost the attack on the Tories now that he could have done in a weeks time and hit them. Daft move.

[ichkeria]

Labour's John Woodcock (an arch enemy of Corbyn) got up to say:
"it would put national security at risk if Britain were led by anyone who did not understand the gravity of the threat Russia poses"
Quite a barb. I can hear the tumbril being wheeled out for Mr Woodcock....

[Hazi-Hammenuhoth]

At best, he came across at totally out of his depth, and in contrast to Yvette Cooper, who struck the right note- "I thank the Prime Minister for her statement. It is hard to see any alternative to her grave conclusion that this was either a direct act by the Russian state against our country or the Russian Government have lost control of a dangerous nerve agent. In that context, I hope the whole House will be able to come together behind a firm response from the Government in the interests of our national security and public safety."

That's how our country should act when faced by a threat from the likes of Russia- by unity and not by cheap tawdry political point scoring. He has been a protestor so long he doesn't know how to rise to the level of a statesman.

[mushroom25]

you can be sure that those honorable labour members who did not follow the leader's line will have had their cards marked, and can expect deselection in the near future.

[naomi24]

Hazi, //He has been a protestor so long he doesn't know how to rise to the level of a statesman. //

I agree. An old hippy who's never grown up.

[EDDIE51]

Quite right. Mrs May should have shown her displeasure with Russia by immediately handing back the £millions the Tory party gets in donations from Putin supporting Russian Oligarchs .

[Hazi-Hammenuhoth]

Don't be dragged into the Tory Funding saga, Eddie, it's a different question for a different day. This is about attempted murder by Russia, right here in the UK.

[naomi24]

//Don't be dragged into the Tory Funding saga, Eddie, it's a different question for a different day.//

But it serves to attempt to take the spotlight off the embarrassment that is Corbyn....

[ichkeria]

The last thing we should be doing is GIVING them back money :-)
Donate it to charity at the very least.
But I agree this is not the time - as Corbyn should have realised.

[ludwig]

Hazi, //He has been a protestor so long he doesn't know how to rise to the level of a statesman. //

Nicely summed up. Some things you don't try and score political points over. Embarrassing for Labour.

[Jackdaw33]

That's right. It's all the fault of the Tory government. Everything else seems to be. I'm surprised COB hasn't blamed the recent spell of bad weather on the Tories. No matter what disarray the Tories might be in, over Brexit et al, as long as COB leads Labour they can breathe easily.

[mushroom25]

//No matter what disarray the Tories might be in, over Brexit et al, as long as COB leads Labour they can breathe easily. //

i'm not so sure. COB is awfy popular with generation snowflake - all he has to do is make some vague statements that suggest free university places, universal benefits for all, etc, and he's home free.

[Kromovaracun]

As far as I know, he isn't wrong. It seems like a legitimate point to me...

[ichkeria]

That was not the time to play party politics.

[Kromovaracun]

Why not?

[Kromovaracun]

I appreciate I am more cynical than most people are when it comes to politics, but it seems like a valid question. I don't see why waiting a couple of weeks would take the 'sting' out.

[ichkeria]

Because in the face of a chemical weapon attack by a hostile power a united response would be helpful.
The donations by Russians to the Tory party are something that should be looked into, but for Corbyn to bring it up at that junctiure was crass to say the least. As most of his back benchers seemed to agree, given their response.