Labour MPs rebel against Corbyn ally’s plan for ‘progressive alliance’ to ‘beat the Tories’
Shadow Defence Secretary Clive Lewis wants to join forces with parties such as Greens, the Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and the SNP
WHILE Green Party activists have embraced the idea of a ‘progressive alliance’ of left wing parties, some Labour MPs have dug in their heels against the proposal.
Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary Clive Lewis is calling for an alliance with activists and other parties on the Left, arguing it is “the only way we can beat the Tories”.
The Norwich South MP wrote in The Guardian “Corbyn’s leadership has struggled” partly due to Labour’s failure to build alliances across other parties such as the Greens, the Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and The SNP.
He said: “We must also acknowledge that the leadership of the party has not been good enough yet – that is Corbyn’s fault, just as much as it is mine and my colleagues.
“Alliances have not yet been built; big ideas have not yet been developed.”
“Frankly”, he said “I want to be in government with Caroline Lucas, not against her.”
The Green Party welcomed Mr Lewis’s rallying call, with the Brighton Pavilion MP and former party leader Caroline Lucas tweeting: “Thanks to @labourlewis for courage to say people better served when politicians work better on areas where they agree”, while activist and former Green Party candidate Peter Tatchell tweeted “sign petition for a #progressivealliance of UK parties against Tories and Ukip.
But some Labour MPs are far from impressed.
Ian Austin MP, representative of Dudley North and strongly anti-Corbyn, tweeted at Clive Lewis saying: “He’s wrong to say that JC or coalition with Greens is the answer” and “Labour/Green coalition is mathematically impossible”.
Phil Wilson, MP for Sedgfield, tweeted: “The cat’s out of the bag, Corbyn’s people want 2 b in government with the Greens. Will this madness plse stop.”