Labour`s propaganda thinking is non-existent!

Theresa May did, as your editorial rightly stated, show "contempt for Labour`s democratic procedures" by refusing for a long time, even initially after her withdrawal deal`s humiliating defeat in the Commons, to consult Jeremy Corbyn (Morning Star, 17/01/19). The penny did drop, however, but when she was persuaded that appearance demanded he be invited to talks at Downing Street, Corbyn refused.

  Demanding that a "no deal Brexit" first be taken off the table does appear a reasonable pre-condition for such talks. After all, getting rid of a no deal possibility seems just now to be the one thing, Tory extreme right-wing excepted, which could support a majority vote in parliament. But shouldn`t someone in the ranks of Labour`s leadership have been able to prophesy what the mainstream press and media would make of it? Star readers for sure would have been able to predict the Mail coming up with some rubbish about "Wrecker Corbyn slamming the door"!

  What would have come across better to the public, to the electorate, to the ones who will decide whether Corbyn forms the next government? Corbyn`s supporters will see his point, but the rest of the potential Labour voters probably will not. Corbyn`s position over Brexit is difficult enough, between the rock of Leave voters who cannot be betrayed, and the hard place of Remain voters, whose numbers include the vast majority of new young party members, whose support must be nurtured. Of course, the Tories cannot be trusted, but that is exactly the point some joined-up thinking would have emphasised.

Nothing would have been lost, even risked, and everything was there to be gained; meet with May, make your point, leave the meeting after twenty minutes, and come out to the press and TV cameras, furious that she hadn`t budged on anything. Leave no one in doubt about the prime minister`s stubbornness and who will be to blame when Brexit becomes more of the Brexshit-show it already is.

 The leadership team played their cards badly over the anti-Semitism row, and they`ve done it again here. How many times do they have to be reminded? Winning the election is the priority, and to do that many thousands have to be persuaded! Refusing to meet with the enemy is not the way! Talking, and then exposing their lies and hypocrisy, is far better!