Peter Mandelson on Corbyn
TL;DR
Peter Mandelson openly and consistently stated his commitment to actively undermine Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party.
Key Points
He publicly stated in February 2017 that he would work every day to undermine Jeremy Corbyn.
Mandelson expressed concern that Corbyn's politics were not suitable for Labour's electoral success.
His consistent opposition positioned him as a leading voice against the Corbynite direction of the party.
Summary
Peter Mandelson maintained a steadfastly negative position on Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party, explicitly stating his intention to actively work against him. In February 2017, he caused significant internal party discussion by declaring that he would try to undermine Corbyn every day in an effort to remove him from power. This stance was not merely implied but vocally asserted across various media appearances following Corbyn's rise to the leadership. Mandelson framed his opposition around the belief that Corbyn's politics were not aligned with the broader electoral needs of the Labour Party.
This determined opposition positioned him as a leading figure of the Labour right, contrasting sharply with the left-wing direction Corbyn represented. Mandelson made clear his view that Corbyn's position was damaging to the party's electability and its long-term prospects. His consistent efforts to delegitimise the leadership, even while still nominally within the party structure, highlight a deep ideological chasm between the two political figures.
Key Quotes
“I work every single day to bring forward the end of [Corbyn's] tenure in office. Every day I try to do something to rescue the Labour Party from his leadership.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Peter Mandelson famously stated that he was actively trying to undermine Jeremy Corbyn's leadership on a daily basis. He viewed Corbyn's political project as electorally damaging for the Labour Party.
The available information indicates that Mandelson's commitment to undermining Corbyn was a consistent and publicly declared position during Corbyn's leadership tenure. There is no indication of a softening or reversal of this strong opposition.
Mandelson opposed Corbyn primarily due to a belief that the left-wing politics advocated by Corbyn were not conducive to winning a general election. He believed the stance was damaging to the party's wider appeal.
Sources8
Peter Mandelson: I try to undermine Jeremy Corbyn 'every ...
Peter Mandelson: I try to undermine Jeremy Corbyn every day
Mandelson: I am working every day to bring down Corbyn
Mandelson: I try to undermine Jeremy Corbyn every day
One thing worries me about Mandelson - he promised to spend every day working to get rid of Jeremy Corbyn
The Mandelson crisis is a crisis
* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.