It’s safe to say that today has not been a great day for the Corbyn campaign. After Yvette Cooper gave a speech claiming her Labour leadership rival’s policies are neither original nor credible, Corbyn’s good friend Paul Flynn has come out against him.
Despite being tipped for a plum role in Corbyn’s shadow cabinet should he be elected, Flynn — who endorsed Liz Kendall before he knew Corbyn was entering the race — says that he cannot support his like-minded colleague’s leadership bid:
‘My caller today asked why I have not declared support for Jeremy Corbyn. He is my closest friend among the candidates. I have spoken on more public platforms with him in recent years than any other MP. Tribune has forecast that I will be offered a star shadow cabinet role if Jeremy is elected! On all the key issues of war and environment in the Commons, we both always speak and vote on the same side.’
Despite their similar political stances, Flynn– who voted against the Welfare Bill — does not think Corbyn could lead Labour without the party becoming ‘politically impotent’.
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