Sebastian Payne

What if Jeremy Corbyn wins?

A Jeremy Corbyn victory was once a hilarious joke but now it seems possible, even likely according to some. If the Labour party wakes up on September 13 and the bearded leftie is its new leader, what happens next? There are three likely scenarios. Following Corbyn’s victory, the assumption is that he would attempt to put together a shadow cabinet and Labour would carry on as Her Majesty’s opposition. This will not be an easy task, as many in the Labour MPs have already said they would refuse to serve under him.

The first scenario is one where Corbyn manages to put together a team and makes it through the first few turbulent months of taking Labour leftwards. This could hold together for 18 months to two years, after which the party would come to its senses and eject Corbyn in an IDS-style coup. This could follow the EU referendum, where Corbyn is likely to lead Labour to back the ‘No’ campaign, or after David Cameron steps down and his successor looks likely to win the next election.

If Corbyn does win the leadership, this is the most likely situation because it will allow moderate voices to bide their time and show what happens to Labour when it takes the ‘comfort blanket’ approach.

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