Sadiq Khan says voters ‘got it right’ by not backing Labour at general election
2 min read
Sadiq Khan says voters “got it right” by not backing Labour putting Jeremy Corbyn into power last month.
And he rejected his party leader’s claim they “won" the argument at the general election despite their worst result since 1935, saying: “We lost the argument.”
Speaking to the Sunday Times the Mayor of London said: “Hand on heart, did we deserve to win the general election?
“Probably not, so the British public got it right.”
And he attacked the decision by Mr Corbyn to back going to the polls in December as “foolish”, saying. “If your opponent thinks it is a good idea, why would you want to agree to it?”
Mr Khan added: “Now we have at least five years of a Boris Johnson, hard-Brexit government.
“Those who were responsible for that decision need to put their hands up.”
He said that the party’s Brexit position, along with anti-semitism were reasons why they lost, as well as voters losing “confidence in the party and our values”.
But on whether Mr Corbyn himself would take more of the blame he said: “What Jeremy and those around him should have the humility to recognise is [they] let Corbyn be Corbyn, and we got pasted.”
On anti-semitism the former MP added: “We’re Labour, a party that’s about anti-racism.
“For the leadership not to understand the impact of us being seen to condone anti-semitism is heartbreaking.
“We’ve demonstrated a breathtaking lack of emotional intelligence — or humanity.”
Asked if people failed to back Labour last month because they felt it was racist he said: “And you know what? If a dog barks, and a duck quacks . . .”
And on Labour’s Brexit position he said: “People who voted remain didn’t think we were authentically remain, and people who voted leave didn’t think we were credibly leave.
“It was the worst of both worlds.”
Mr Khan has not yet said who he is backing to take over from Mr Corbyn, though he is believed to be a supporter of Sir Keir Starmer.
He says the one attribute the new leader must have is: “I want a winner.
“The candidates need to persuade us members that they have the best analysis of why we lost, and to set out the path to victory.”
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