Welcome to Scotland; Jeremy Corbyn is called a ‘terrorist sympathiser’in Glasgow, outside the Heart of Scotstoun community centre, cyber attacks on Labour, former Labour Ministers voting Conservative and now a clergyman screaming, “I thought you would be wearing your Islamic Jihad scarf”, there is a lot of lead flying towards Labour Party, almost near perfect political combat conditions

Dear All

There is a saying, it never but it pours, and for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, he must feel he is in the middle of monsoon season. In the space of a few weeks, cyber attacks on Labour Party website, being heckled by a Church of Scotland minister describing him as a “terrorist sympathiser” on his first general election visit to Scotland, and former Labour Government Ministers publicly declaring they are voting Conservative.

This is looks it is going to be a long campaign for him.

The cyber attacks will be a nuisance but that will be all, former Labour Ministers voting Conservative is highly embarrassing and being heckled is life at the front. When you are fighting an election in the trenches, you have to watch your step, trouble is round every corner.

When Jeremy Corbyn was outside the Heart of Scotstoun community centre in Glasgow, he must have thought this would just be a routine campaigning, photo op event, but the Rev Cameron had other ideas, He referenced a tartan scarf worn by the Labour leader and in full view of the press, shouted:

“I thought you would be wearing your Islamic Jihad scarf.”

Having walked away Jeremy Corbyn was still in earshot when the heckler continued:

“Do you think the man that is going to be prime minister of this country should be a terrorist sympathiser?”

He went on:

“Who is going to be the first terrorist invited to the House of Commons when you are prime minister?”

Jeremy Corbyn looked visibly uncomfortable and had to be ushered inside the venue,there is no point trying to have a debate with the heckler, his purpose was to destroy the event, not engage in a dialogue.

Rev Cameron’s parting shot was;

”Aye, he’s running away”.

This type of behavior isn’t new in politics, my only surprise is usually it comes from Sean Clerkin, who carved out a niche in Scotland for heckling Labour politicians. In real terms, the incident will by tomorrow be chip paper wrapper, the agenda will move on. The real issue for me is the fact that former Labour Ministers of the Blair era don’t back Jeremy Corbyn. In Labour, the internal struggle still goes on and will impact this election.

Ian Austin, a former Labour Minister gave press interviews where he denounced Jeremy Corbyn;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3mMv-e1tow

Recently, I attended a Scotland Matters event, Tom Harris, former Labour MP and Minister attended to give a talk, one thing he said during the evening was will be voting for Boris Johnson's Conservatives in the election because Jeremy Corbyn won’t deliver Brexit. He has since said the idea of Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister "chills me to the bone". And he also accused Jeremy Corbyn as an "extremist" and claimed he was "not someone who can be trusted with the security of the nation".

One thing which isn’t really spoken about in politics much is how deeply care about the security of the nation. If you want to understand the British mentality, this scene from the movie the Darkest Hour sums up Britain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sikpgjoKVQ

This was true back in 1940’s and as true today, the EU referendum result was an indication of our nation spirit; it was a declaration of sovereignty which goes to the core of our being. This is why I did the Brexit campaign, just as in 1940, the few fought for the many, not over the skies of Dover, but in streets up and down the UK. The Labour Party policy on Brexit should have been to honour the result. Instead, the Labour Party leadership dug themselves which has caused the party great damage with the public. And that is why I said repeatedly that Labour policy had to change.

Just as Winston Churchill tested the resolve of the British people, Jeremy Corbyn should have done likewise. In politics, getting it badly wrong has consequences for others. The so called ‘people’s vote’ on what many would be offered as either a bad deal Brexit or staying in is nonsense, it is totally lacking in credibility.

Who does a deal then campaigns against it and emerges credible?

No one!

Tom Harris also touched on another is specific to Scotland that hasn’t gone down well, the idea that a Labour Government would back a second Scottish Independence Referendum. The deal would be the outcome of a deal with the SNP to gain power. When John McDonnell floated the idea, the reaction in Scotland from Scottish Labour was overwhelmingly hostile to the idea. To some people, this statement meant a betrayal of the 2014 referendum vote, it also meant that at both Westminster and Holyrood level, having Labour MPs or MSPs didn’t matter, what matter was winning power in Westminster.

Off the cuff remarks have consequences, actions have consequences and trying to ride two horses at once have consequences.

Tom Harris’s remarks are damning, he said:

"He is not someone who can be trusted with the security of the nation as far as defence is concerned, he is a man who has instinctively sided with our country's enemies over the years he has been an MP. The idea of him becoming prime minister just chills me to the bone. The only way of stopping Corbyn becoming Prime Minister is to vote for Boris Johnson's Conservatives, it is a very simple, logical conclusion."

He added:

"I opposed him strongly even before he talked about him betraying the Scottish people and the Scottish Labour Party by allowing a second referendum. But, yes, that does add to the many reasons to vote against the Labour Party."

Of course, Tom Harris can say these things publicly; he has left the Labour Party and gone into private business.

Finally, it is 30 days till polling day on the 12^th of December, as I said this will be a rather nasty election, both in Scotland and the rest of the UK, the main thrust of this election is that this is a Brexit election. If I was an advisor to Jeremy Corbyn, the only advice that makes sense is to back Brexit. No other scenario in my opinion works, in Scotland, there are other issues which the Labour Party need to grapple with, those relate to the Holyrood dimension and how the Labour Party works and campaigns.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University