Harriet Harman

Former MP for Camberwell and Peckham

Statement re Jeremy Corbyn

It is with great regret that I call on Jeremy Corbyn to stand down as leader of the Labour Party.  Jeremy has many great qualities but he is not a leader. The party and the country needs a strong united Labour Opposition at this immensely challenging time.  Jeremy earned the right to take up the leadership of the party with a big majority.  But he has failed and he has no right or mandate to stay in office despite his failure and take the party down with him.  Leading the party is a privilege not a right. You earn the opportunity to lead by being elected, to lead the whole party, our voters, members, councillors and MPs. But winning the leadership election does not give you the right to continue in post if you fail.  If Jeremy goes now, he will earn the respect and admiration of the party. If he stays he will be responsible for damage to the party on the gravest scale.  No-one has the right to do that.  Being leader of the Opposition is an immensely difficult task.  Much harder than it looks.  The starting point should be to support the leader and help them succeed. And that is what I have done over the past 3 decades and with 6 leaders through thick and thin.  But I have no right to stand by and let our party collapse in disarray.  That is what has happened under Jeremy and that has to stop.  I urge Jeremy to stand down.

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