When Paul Mason was covertly recorded by the Sun newspaper divulging his private view that Jeremy Corbyn does not appeal to the working classes, there wasn’t much surprise in the Labour leader’s office. The relationship between Corbyn and his celebrity guru has always been complex. Kremlinologists point to a meeting of Corbyn’s closest comrades earlier this year at Esher Place, a £6 million, Grade II country house in Surrey owned by Unite.
The guest list was a who’s who of the hard left: John McDonnell, Diane Abbott, Len McCluskey, Labour strategy chief Seumas Milne and Momentum boss Jon Lansman were all in attendance. Corbyn had also invited Mason to join this star chamber. Those present saw it as confirmation that the former BBC and Channel 4 journalist is acting as an unofficial adviser to the Labour leadership.
‘Jeremy listens to him,’ explains one Corbynista. ‘The only people he ever listens to are his sons, Seumas and the old guys he’s known for years.
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