On 26 June the BBC published a ‘scoop‘ about Jeremy Corbyn. The expose, by that titan of objectivity Laura Kuenssberg, details leaked emails from the Labour party. Supposedly, they prove that Corbyn’s office attempted to “sabotage” the party’s Remain campaign in the EU referendum.
In reality, the emails prove nothing of the sort. But the BBC’s choice to publish them proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the organisation is hell bent on sabotaging Corbyn. And consequently, determined to vandalise the democratic will of everyone who voted him in.
And this is what we call our ‘public service’ broadcaster.
The emails themselves are not sent from Corbyn’s office and are not published in the BBC article. The broadcaster merely handpicks a few select quotes from them, and allows Kuenssberg to let rip in her analysis of the cache. Essentially the sparse selection of leaked emails – that we never see – takes aim at two particular targets.
The voice
The first is Labour’s Director of Strategy and Communications Seumas Milne. According to the emails, and Kuenssberg’s interpretation of them, Milne was the devil behind “Corbyn’s reluctance to to take a prominent role in Labour’s campaign to keep the UK in the EU.” Allegedly, in one email discussing a speech of Corbyn’s, a commentator ominously states:
[it’s because of the] hand of Seumas. If he can’t kill it, he will water it down so much to hope nobody notices it
Presumably, the commentator is referring to Europe not being mentioned enough in the speech. But presumption is all we have because no detail, or proof, is given. Milne is also accused of removing a comment on immigration, but from what – or the comment itself – we know not. And he apparently refused to sign off a letter supported by 200 MPs. Again, what letter exactly?
In every single one of these instances, Milne could have made the right call. But without detail Kuenssberg is able to spin these snippets into her ‘assessment’ of his guilt.
In his previous incarnation as a Guardian journalist and Associate Editor, Milne was vocal about the flaws in the EU. Any attempt to whitewash the campaign and hold the European project as a beacon of democracy, rather than an entity in need of serious reform, would not be tolerated under his watch – and rightly so. It also would have been completely opposed by the Labour leader, who is of course the second target in the BBC’s propaganda.
The face
Within the correspondence detailed by the BBC there are a whopping two pieces of evidence on Corbyn’s “sabotage” attempt. But bizarrely they don’t come from Corbyn himself. Instead, it seems the proof is provided through comments made in Labour HQ and the Remain campaign. Here is the total sum of their proof:
What is going on here?
there is no EU content here – we agreed to have Europe content in it
Again, what exactly these comments refer to is left unsaid. Without context all we can really glean from these statements is that two people in the Labour party were confused and upset that the EU wasn’t mentioned “here”.
Is this the level of analysis we should tolerate from the BBC?
The progressive panic
So, without the BBC providing any context, detail or real evidence, let’s concentrate on what we do know. We know that the Labour party, with Corbyn at its helm, persuaded two-thirds of its supporters to back Remain. And this was achieved through comprehensive arguments for staying in for the benefits the EU brings, and to influence reform of the union. We know that despite Kuenssberg regurgitating the myth that Corbyn’s “lack of role” in the referendum campaign has led to MPs quitting, the majority of party members still support him.
We also can be fairly sure that a Boris-led government, or a Conservative one under any directorship, is the worst option to lead us through post-Brexit Britain, or the dismembered version of it should any part leave. And we know that the reinvention Britain must go through now it has voted to leave the EU opens up an opportunity to usher out neoliberalism and our winner takes all economy, and bring in a fairer, kinder and more equal society. And it is certain that Corbyn is the most appropriate candidate to ensure that happens.
But, as this cynical BBC outburst illustrates, the establishment class are terrified of this happening. And they will do all they can to manipulate the dialogue in favour of a ‘moderate’ outcome, while throwing those looking for real change under the bus.
However, the Brexit vote suggests the public are in the mood for something more radical than that. So, these ‘meh’ advocacy establishment figures have certainly got their work cut out in convincing the nation to follow their lead. Especially with pathetic propaganda like this.
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