The Rise of Factionalism: How Corbynism Was Undermined from Within

Anushka Asthana, former political editor at The Guardian, offers a striking insider's account of how Keir Starmer's rise to Prime Minister was orchestrated, revealing key details about one of his closest allies, Morgan McSweeney, and his role in undermining Jeremy Corbyn. McSweeney, who currently serves as Starmer's Director of Political Strategy in Downing Street, was a pivotal figure in Labour's internal factional struggles, and Asthana’s book sheds light on the efforts that eventually led to Corbyn’s downfall.

Labour Together: A Strategic Front

In 2017, McSweeney co-founded an organization called Labour Together, a seemingly benign initiative with a mission to "move beyond Labour factionalism" and unite the party. However, as Asthana details, its true ambition was more subversive: to rid the Labour Party of Corbynism.

In the wake of the 2017 general election, where Labour came surprisingly close to forming a government, McSweeney and his group were alarmed. The election demonstrated that Corbyn was not the unelectable radical many had thought, but a political force with the potential to lead the country. McSweeney saw this as a threat, not to Labour’s electoral success, but to the future of the party itself. A Labour government under Corbyn, as McSweeney allegedly outlined in a strategy meeting, would prevent the ideological renewal of the party that Labour Together sought to achieve.

Strategic Undermining of Corbyn

Asthana’s account describes a covert campaign to prevent Corbyn from ever leading a Labour government. McSweeney and his colleagues, with funding from venture capitalists and businessmen, worked behind the scenes to undermine Corbyn’s leadership and electoral chances. While Labour Together publicly advocated for unity, its behind-the-scenes work involved building a network of former Labour advisors and activists focused on identifying and publicizing issues, most notably anti-Semitism within Labour's ranks.

The group concentrated on finding problematic posts in hundreds of Facebook groups linked to left-wing politics. Asthana describes how they provided these posts to journalists, helping to fuel a media narrative that further destabilized Corbyn’s leadership. This culminated in a prolonged scandal over Labour's handling of anti-Semitism, which became a major source of internal conflict and public mistrust.

The Role of the Media

Asthana’s account also highlights the role of the media in amplifying the problems within Labour. Right-wing newspapers, often fed by Labour insiders, ran endless stories about anti-Semitism, portraying Corbyn as complicit in allowing such views to fester within the party. The scale of the issue was often exaggerated, with reports based on Facebook groups with tenuous links to Corbyn or his closest allies. Owen Jones, a prominent left-wing commentator, frequently pointed out the hypocrisy in the media's treatment of Labour, noting that similar issues within the Conservative Party, such as Islamophobia, never received the same level of scrutiny.

Lessons from the Left

Looking back on those years, Asthana reflects on the strategic failures of the left. The focus on creating the most radical policy platform possible, particularly in the lead-up to the disastrous 2019 election, was a miscalculation. Labour, under Corbyn’s leadership, shifted further to the left when it should have focused on consolidating the electoral gains made in 2017. Instead of broadening its appeal to voters who did not support Corbyn in 2017, the leadership remained focused on its core base, culminating in a 2019 manifesto that alienated many traditional Labour voters.

Asthana's account is not just a story of Labour factionalism but a broader reflection on the difficulties of maintaining a left-wing political movement within a party that has historically been dominated by centrist forces. While Corbynism energized a new generation of activists and voters, its failure to build a broader coalition ultimately led to its downfall.

A Pyrrhic Victory for Labour Together

The rise of Starmer, largely facilitated by figures like McSweeney, may have returned Labour to a more centrist position, but at what cost? While the left was defeated, the battle left scars that may take years to heal. The internal divisions exposed during the Corbyn years have not disappeared, and the challenge of building a broad-based, electorally successful Labour Party remains.

Asthana’s work serves as a reminder that political power within parties is often fought over as much behind the scenes as it is in public. The strategic vision of McSweeney and Labour Together succeeded in removing Corbyn, but whether their approach will lead to long-term success for Labour under Starmer is still to be seen.