Frances O'Grady says Labour should get on with being an effective opposition.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/sep/07/tuc-leader-says-labour-is-failing-to-act-as-effective-opposition

TUC leader says Labour is failing to act as effective opposition

TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady

Frances O'Grady could well be right."“It is important that Labour does not just focus on members and MPs but actually unites and gets on with being an effective opposition and map out a route to victory".

However, O'Grady and others who repeat this "selective" view of reality fail, either by accident or more probably design, to mention even in passing, the reasons for the party being " focused on internal rows". Even before the leadership election of last year, there were those elements within the Parliamentary Labour Party (as well as in the media), openly stating that in the event that Jeremy Corbyn became leader of the Labour party, they would launch a coup to remove him from the leadership "within days". From that time, there has been an almost daily dose of PLP "briefings" and media speculation with the clear intent of undermining and discrediting the leadership, which has become even more intense since the orchestrated coup of June this year, failed to achieve their objective of compelling the resignation of Jeremy Corbyn as leader.

Under these circumstances, what are the people who disagree with the objectives of the coup organisers and the constant barrage of negative press and anti Labour party leadership briefings from the Parliamentary Labour Party expected to do?

There are those who would dearly love to see the people resisting to coup, to just acquiesce and accept that the democratic decision taken by some 251,400 (59.5%) can be simply rejected and overturned by 172 people who did not want that result. The majority of Labour party members did not wish to see another leadership election, less than 9 months after the election of September last year. Members have repeatedly argued that another election would be divisive within the party and have consistently called for party unity to focus on opposing the conservative government and attacking their policies on the NHS, working peoples rights, welfare, civil liberties, Europe and all the other measures which are destroying peoples lives and society in this country.

It is the 172 of the Parliamentary Party and those who support them who are determined to perpetuate this division and turmoil within the Labour party, presumably until those who are resisting them, surrender unconditionally to their subterfuge, intimidation, threat and bullying and meekly accept whatever terms the 172 dictate. However, surrender is not likely to happen anytime soon, resulting in the distinct probability that the divisions will continue to be the focus of media attention.

It is still not too late for unity to be restored in the party ranks. The 172 can still even now, accept the democratic decision of the party membership and unite behind the leadership. Jeremy Corbyn and others, have frequently appealed for a coming together of personalities but this has been ignored so far.

Perhaps Frances O'Grady should direct her comments towards those who's personal agenda's seek a different Labour party to the one which, together with the Trade Unions and affiliated organisations, strives to fight the excesses of business and corporate interests and conservative government, rather than members of their own party.