Roy Hattersley must be hoping the Earth will open up and swallow him.

On the day Survation – the only polling company that correctly predicted the result of the 2017 general election – posted an eight-point lead for the Labour Party, Mr Hattersley published an article in The Guardian claiming Labour would make itself “unelectable” if the Left (followers of Jeremy Corbyn) were allowed to take control.

Let’s have a look at what he had to say:

“Momentum – a party within the party which is dedicated to moving Labour to the far left of the political spectrum – is on the point of winning control of Labour’s policy, programme and constitution.”

Not true. Momentum is not a Communist organisation but supports Jeremy Corbyn’s centre-left vision for the party. It acts as a support system for the vast majority of Labour Party members who support Mr Corbyn and want to be able to participate fully in party democracy, which has been dominated by the right-wingers since Tony Blair became party leader in the 1990s. While Momentum may have supported and facilitated the candidacy of many members standing for positions of responsibility, there is no intention to dictate what those members do; the aim is to facilitate an open, democratic Labour Party, powered by its members.

“Momentum does not disguise how it will use the power which domination of the party machine guarantees. The shift to the left will begin with a revision of Labour rules and continue with the replacement of moderate MPs and councillors with Momentum nominees.”

More accurately: Momentum is helping grassroots Labour members break the stranglehold of a right-wing elite on the nomination of Labour council and MP candidates, facilitating the creation of a more democratic party.

“Fears about victory for the far-left helps to hold down Labour’s opinion poll lead to 4-5% at a time when the government’s incompetence should put him 20 points ahead.”

This has been superceded by the Survation poll – and the right-wing extremists Mr Hattersley prefers have been stoking the fears he mentions with nonsense rumour-mongering when they could have been joining the majority of party members to present unified opposition to the incompetent Tory government.

Basically, the article is a long “Reds-under-the-bed” screed that would not have been out of place in the McCarthy-era USA.

Mr Hattersley is trying to blind the country to the fact that the enemy he wants us to believe is within the Labour Party is actually the majority of the party’s membership. He is trying to undermine democracy.

Fortunately, the Survation poll shows the people of the UK aren’t having any of it.

Commentators with more level heads than Mr Hattersley currently seems to own have been drawing the obvious conclusions:

Supporters of Mr Corbyn and his version of the Labour Party cannot celebrate yet, though: The Survation poll result means right-wingers everywhere will be stepping up their underhanded tactics to keep good government out of the corridors of power.

For example, the Torygraph has reported that businesses are being told to expect a Corbyn government, saying:

“A paper issued by CME Group entitled “What to Expect from a Prime Minister Corbyn” was sent to investors and business leaders last month, and included a prediction that a Labour government would lead to a possible “nightmare scenario for the pound”.

“It is one of a series of cases of major organisations preparing for Mr Corbyn coming to power in the weeks Mrs May’s minority government has been rocked by a series of damaging rows and Cabinet resignations, as well as growing uncertainty over negotiations with Brussels over Britain’s departure from the European Union.”

Funny – This Writer thought the Pound has been suffering because of Theresa May’s determination to go through with a ruinous departure from the European Union, with Sterling only losing value whenever Mrs May opens her mouth to give another silly speech.

Expect more of the same – especially as Theresa May’s government continues to disintegrate.

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