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Jeremy Corbyn Ballot Decision Will 'Break Labour', Says Matthew Parris And Michael Dobbs

'It is a disaster for parliamentary democracy.'
Steven Hopkins
By 

Assistant News Editor

A decision made Tuesday that Jeremy Corbyn will automatically be on the Labour leadership ballot “will break” the party, commentators have suggested.

Former MP Matthew Parris and Lord Michael Dobbs welcomed Labour’s National Executive Committee ruling, believing it will benefit the Conservative Party.

Matthew Parris and Michael Dobbs welcome Corbyn vote because "it will break the Labour Party" Tories celebrating as they think Corbyn wins

— Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) July 12, 2016

Corbyn had faced the difficult task of having to scrape together the nominations of 51 MPs and MEPs in order to fight off a challenge from Angela Eagle.

However, the NEC decided he could defend his position without being nominated.

Lord Michael Dobbs suggested that Corbyn's automatic inclusion on the Labour leadership ballot will 'break' the party
Lord Michael Dobbs suggested that Corbyn's automatic inclusion on the Labour leadership ballot will 'break' the party
Joel Ryan/Invision/AP

Parris and Dobbs’ prediction was not greeted so gleefully by everyone with former Times executive editor, and Tory Lord, Daniel Finkelstein, calling it a “disaster for parliamentary democracy”.

Not how I feel. It is a disaster for parliamentary democracy that a leader need not have parliamentary support. https://t.co/1Dth2m7I9n

— Daniel Finkelstein (@Dannythefink) July 12, 2016

And most commenters on social media agreed with him, saying “our system depends on having a functioning and credible opposition”.

@Dannythefink @krishgm Well said Danny. No true democrat can be anything other than devastated by this.

— Campaigning4RemainIn (@willieckerslike) July 12, 2016

@Dannythefink @krishgm our system depends on having a functioning and credible opposition. This is in noone's interest,including the Tories.

— Gary Lidington (@GMLidington) July 12, 2016

@krishgm Labours finished if Corbyn wins

— Carlo (@Fox_Mulder666) July 12, 2016

@Dannythefink @krishgm it is odd. One hand: leader's huge mandate from members. Other: MPs' huge mandate from voters. Two not aligned.

— Sheldon Bacon (@sheldonbacon) July 12, 2016

@krishgm trying to stop him standing has broke the labour party. Tories all the way, increase in UKIP, brexit. Holy Shit. @tfeditor1892

— NewcastleFan (@AustraliaToon1) July 12, 2016

@krishgm Corbyn will win with an even bigger majority and then he will be thrashed at the General Election in 2017/2020

— Dan (@dcmcmlxxvi) July 12, 2016

@krishgm Dreadful reaction from them. A government without an opposition is not democracy.

— Campaigning4RemainIn (@willieckerslike) July 12, 2016

@krishgm All jokes aside though, who or what on earth is going to be the opposition?! We do need one!

— Johnny Kidney (@johnnykidney) July 12, 2016

@krishgm Slightly more nuance from Parris than that, I think. Split better for both parties' long term prospects than toxic stasis.

— Daniel Maier (@danielmaier) July 12, 2016

Although not everyone saw Corbyn’s automatic inclusion on the ballot as a problem.

@Dannythefink @helenlewis @krishgm It was a leadership challenge, how can you have that without the LEADER?! Won a landslide a year ago!

— Mike (@TheMikeKehoe) July 12, 2016

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