British politics has a reputation for erudition—debate culture, the prime minister taking questions in the House of Commons, etc.—but back in the summer of 2015 the UK’s most common political term of art was something more primitive: “morons.” That was the label given to Labour Party MPs who enabled the rise of Jeremy Corbyn.
“The moronic MPs who nominated Jeremy Corbyn to ‘have a debate’ need their heads felt,” former Tony Blair adviser John McTernan had said. “They should be ashamed of themselves. They’re morons.”
The old Trotskyite fool in the vest and baker’s cap had surged into power because of a Wile E. Coyote-esque performance by party leaders who had been too clever by half. Party elites had wanted to halt the Corbynites’ momentum by enabling Jeremy Corbyn to run for party leadership and lose. They ended up only getting the first half.
The idea was this: Help Corbyn get the necessary backing among MPs to qualify for a leadership run. Then, open the voting to pretty much anybody in who had paid Labour’s membership fee nationwide, plus its “affiliated” supporters such as unions. That way, Corbyn could no longer complain that leadership contests were rigged against a candidate like himself from even qualifying, and then Labour voters would deliver him the humiliating drubbing he deserved.
So 35 MPs gave Corbyn their backing, enabling him to run for party leader even though they mostly detested him. Opening the voting to the public then enabled Corbyn’s fanatical supporters to flood the gates. And just like that, Jeremy Corbyn was the new leader of the Labour Party.
Labour Party leaders simply believed that the large portion of the British left that they represented were far more moderate. We can let an unreformed socialist run, they thought, because the ensuing debate will bring in the young socialists who follow Corbyn and allow them to believe they have a stake in the party. But they won’t win. Hence, Labour gets to scoop up Corbyn’s new voters without having to pay Corbyn himself any mind.
McTernan would be vindicated, of course. The loony anti-Semite with long-discredited left-wing politics won—and then led Labour to electoral disaster when he turned out to be even worse than anyone thought.
I don’t know if the U.S. Democrats’ leap into the socialist pool will lead to electoral disaster, but the rise of Zohran Mamdani shows America’s party of the left is following very closely in the footsteps of their brethren across the pond.
With one major difference: Labourite elites loathed Corbyn. They saw him for what he was: a man who lived and breathed Soviet affection long after it was clear that to admire the legacy of socialism was to be something of a monster. In this sense, the Morons of Labour are far more defensible than their heirs in the Democratic Party.
Labour leaders wanted to defeat Corbyn. Democratic Party leaders want Mamdani to defeat them.
“I have known @ZohranKMamdani since we worked together to provide debt relief for thousands of beleaguered taxi drivers & fought to stop a fracked gas plant in Astoria. He ran an impressive campaign that connected with New Yorkers about affordability, fairness, & opportunity,” tweeted Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer, adding that he is “looking forward to getting together soon.”
Posted New York Gov. Kathy Hochul: “Today, voters made their voices heard, demanding a more affordable, more livable New York City. I hear them loud and clear. @ZohranKMamdani built a formidable grassroots coalition, and I look forward to speaking with him in the days ahead about his ideas on how to ensure a safe, affordable, and livable New York City.”
“Congratulations to Zohran Mamdani on a decisive primary victory,” wrote Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries. “Assemblyman Mamdani ran a strong campaign that relentlessly focused on the economy and bringing down the high cost of living in New York City. We spoke this morning and plan to meet in Central Brooklyn shortly.”
What about former, Tony Blair-era Democrats who might otherwise not be keen on their party’s plunge into the fever swamps? “Congratulations @ZohranKMamdani on your victory in yesterday’s primary election and a well-run campaign,” posted Bill Clinton. “I’m wishing you much success in November and beyond as you work to bring New Yorkers together to tackle the city’s challenges and shape a stronger, fairer future.”
Those reactions tell you where this is headed. The Labour Party hated Jeremy Corbyn but accidentally elevated him before finding their chance to drum him out. The Democrats like Mamdani, they don’t want to stop his rise, and they won’t be forming a front to get the party back to where it was. Mamdani, and everything he represents, both good and bad (mostly, in my opinion, the latter), is the only part of the Democratic Party with any life in it at the moment. Corbyn was always the past. Unless something dramatic changes, Mamdani is the future.
