It seems they hope that if they can weather the antisemitism scandal long enough, it will simply be accepted as background noise.
Will pro-EU voters ditch the Lib Dems in favour of a Labour Party that has been dragged only reluctantly to a mushier, more confused version of the position?
The union’s conference applauded speeches about the NHS not having enough money. Then voted to overstretch its resources even further.
One Labour MP appears to be performing a dedicated Jeremy Corbyn tribute act by mimicking his foreign policy double standards.
More likely, they hope they can force him to give them something they want – and in return they will continue to ignore their many misgivings about him.
No strategic judgement, no grassroots depth, no clear command structure, no unifying belief system, and a bunch of fractious personalities make for big trouble.
And as much as it infuriates Brexiteers and Remainers, the strategy appears to be working for him.
For some reason he appears to be surprised at the reaction to his switch of position.
It’s the classic small party dilemma – do you accept recruits and defectors, even when they come with baggage?
The evidence suggests it would be a damaging mistake, but Labour is pressing on regardless.
Just when Corbyn ought to be riding high, even the chairman of the Labour Party is ignoring whipped votes.
They are at least on-brand in refusing to accept the result of the vote on the proposal which has already taken place – which they lost.
Hamas, Hezbollah, the IRA, Assad, Maduro, dodgy Czech ‘diplomats’, Iranian propagandists….the list goes on.
Flawed, of dubious judgement, and late to the fight. But if he’s the only big beast willing to challenge anti-semitism, at least it’s better than nothing.
It rarely worked for the Conservatives when they tried to out-UKIP UKIP.