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No, Jeremy Corbyn doesn't prioritise elitist organisations like the Privy Council - and we should be glad

So insane have the attacks against Corbyn become that even the haters are getting tired of it

Liam Young
Monday 12 October 2015 13:20 BST
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As the Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition, Jeremy Corbyn's role comes with an expectation that he will become a member of the Privy Council
As the Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition, Jeremy Corbyn's role comes with an expectation that he will become a member of the Privy Council (Rex)

So the latest non-scandal involving Jeremy Corbyn and the Queen has hit the press – and this time it’s serious. He’s been ‘stripped’ of his Right Honourable title, apparently, having snubbed Queen, country, all right-thinking people and probably your granddad who didn’t fight in the war for this sort of thing. Never mind that he never held the title in the first place, or that Cameron himself didn’t turn up to a Privy Council meeting until three months after being chosen as the leader of the Conservative party. Roll up for another pop at the Labour leader who dares to be left-wing.

So insane have the attacks become that even the haters are getting tired of it. They’re coming out on social media to criticise the validity and purpose of claiming that Corbyn has mortally wounded our monarch and subsequently had an important title revoked. With debates raging about possible Syrian intervention and our membership of the European Union this week, right-wing media continue to focus all of their efforts into discrediting laughably minor developments in Corbyn’s life. But however bemusing the title-that-never-was story is simply is, it demonstrates just how desperate measures are becoming to bring him down.

The real story, of course, is a non-story. Corbyn took a short, pre-planned break whilst Parliament is in recess. During his break he was invited to attend his first Privy Council meeting, which he was unfortunately unable to attend. This led to the removal of ‘Right Honourable’ – a title which had appeared on official websites ahead of his name, when he hadn’t actually been offered it yet – which will be applied back when he is able to attend the second meeting, something he has implied he will do. Of course you can’t really be stripped of something you never had, but that hasn’t stopped a lot of people claiming that that’s what happened.

Ignoring everything else about this bizarre turn of events, the idea that the Privy Council meeting could shape a politician’s career is worrying in itself. Dating back to the 14th century, the group seems to have more in common with the Freemasons than the FBI, despite touting itself as an essential security body.

Meanwhile, the media storm rages on. Corbyn’s conference went so annoyingly well that the general attack line from the right changed from ‘he won’t even have the support of his party’ to ‘he’s only speaking to his party’. The Lib Dems haven’t quite managed to convince hundreds of MPs to make a mass exodus from Labour and join their party, and the papers haven’t quite convinced the public that he’s a danger to everyone, especially dear old ladies on thrones. Even though he is not tumbling, but rather standing firm and tall, just one look at certain newspapers would make you believe Corbyn is on the cusp of resignation – and nothing could be further from the truth.

The whole fiasco chimes back to the infamous national anthem incident. Never mind the facts; never mind what he says really happened; Jeremy Corbyn is a Britain-hater. Remember when Cameron lambasted Corbyn as a terrorist sympathiser and a security risk? Elements of the press are more than happy to continue this line of attack.

In reality, it only proves how hard the task will be for Corbyn supporters like me. Jeremy was not yet a right honourable gentleman, yet it was reported he was – because of a Downing Street ‘error’, by the way, which seems convenient. The fact was believed, and now an opportunity has magically arisen for the public to be told Corbyn’s hating on the country again. Facts are losing their value in this political machine: the Prime Minister's conference speech is the perfect example of this, talking centrist stuff while his actual policies – and their effects on the ground - move ever further right.

Corbyn's position remains intact, and the titles he has achieved remain the same. The attack line, however, will also stand firm: Corbyn is on the way out, Corbyn doesn’t like people like us, Corbyn is a radical with no respect for tradition. It's our job to talk facts: Labour is still not in crisis under our new leader. In fact, we are building a movement capable of achieving power and alleviating the pain and suffering implemented by the Tories. Whether honourable or Right Honourable, people must know that Jeremy speaks for them. Elitist organisations like the Privy Council simply aren’t his priority – and we should all be glad of that.

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