Corbyn should bow before the Queen, say LabourList readers

Jeremy Corbyn should attend a meeting of the Privy Council and bow before the Queen in order to officially become a Privy Counsellor, according to LabourList readers.

Corbyn was unable to make last week’s meeting with the Queen, and in the past seemed uncomfortable with the idea of pledging allegiance to the monarch as part of his induction. There had been rumours that Corbyn, a lifelong republican, could attempt to become a member without going through the formal meeting process, thus avoiding having to make his pledge.

It is expected that a vote on Syrian intervention will take place in the coming months, and if he is not a Privy Council member Corbyn will not be briefed on sensitive information by the security services.

But a spokesperson for the Labour leader confirmed yesterday that he would attend the Privy Council, and planned to go to the next meeting in a month’s time.

LabourList readers agree with this decision – 47% of those who took part in this week’s survey said that he should attend. A sizeable number, 39%, disagreed, while 14% did not express a view on the issue.

Readers also backed the decision by Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell to u-turn on his decision to support George Osborne’s fiscal charter bill. On Monday, he announced that Labour would now be opposing the charter in Wednesday’s vote, saying it was important that they “underline our position as an anti-austerity party”. You can read the full text of his letter to MPs here.

The change of position caused unrest among the Parliamentary Labour Party, who felt the situation had been badly handled. 21 Labour MPs abstained on last night’s vote, despite the whipping operation.

Readers overwhelmingly backed Labour’s new position, with 75% of those who voted saying they believed it was a good move.

However, 20% of those surveyed disagreed – a larger proportion than the number of MPs who rebelled by abstaining (9% of the PLP). 5% said they did not know.

2,255 people voted in this week’s survey. Thanks to all who took part.