Yahoo Movies Jeremy Corbyn’s close aides will accept no-deal Brexit and 'don’t give a toss' about Labour members' views, says Margaret Beckett
![Labour has angrily denied claims that Jeremy Corbyn is too "frail" to be prime minister.The party rejected suggestions, reported to have been made by senior civil servants, that the Labour leader was "too frail" and "losing his memory".According to The Times, Mr Corbyn's health was discussed at a recent event attended by top Whitehall figures. One senior civil servant reportedly told the paper: "There is a real worry that the Labour leader isn’t up to the job physically or mentally but is being propped up by those around him. There’s growing concern that he’s too frail and is losing his memory. He’s not in charge of his own party.”Another reportedly said: "When does someone say [he] is too ill to carry on as leader of the Labour Party let alone prime minister? There must be senior people in the party who know that he is not functioning on all cylinders.” But Labour hit back, insisting Mr Corbyn, 70, exercised frequently.A party spokesperson said: "Jeremy Corbyn leads an active life, running and cycling regularly, and is in good health. Reports to the contrary are scurrilous and a transparent attempt to undermine Labour's efforts to redistribute wealth and power from the few to the many."John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, said the claim Mr Corbyn was in ill health should be treated "with the contempt it deserves"He told Sky News: "Jeremy Corbyn is the age of many other world leaders. He's incredibly fit. He'll give 20 or 30 years on most other people. He runs every day, he cycles."He added: "We need a wise, experienced leader who will bring the country together again."Mr Corbyn's team have previously said the Labour leader is undergoing treatment at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London for a muscle weakness in his right eye.The Times also quoted current and former Labour staffers accusing Mr Corbyn's chief of staff, Carrie Murphy, of bullying, including allegedly jabbing someone in the chestA Labour spokesperson said: "These allegations are clearly based on politically motivated anonymous briefings rather than fact. No complaint of this nature has been made through union or party processes, and if they were, they would be fully investigated."](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/rdi.tITmR_KvcwPZXGjp0w--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTcyMA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the_independent_577/c0f4749d20c9a949b185ec366ecd8a0d)
![Labour has angrily denied claims that Jeremy Corbyn is too "frail" to be prime minister.The party rejected suggestions, reported to have been made by senior civil servants, that the Labour leader was "too frail" and "losing his memory".According to The Times, Mr Corbyn's health was discussed at a recent event attended by top Whitehall figures. One senior civil servant reportedly told the paper: "There is a real worry that the Labour leader isn’t up to the job physically or mentally but is being propped up by those around him. There’s growing concern that he’s too frail and is losing his memory. He’s not in charge of his own party.”Another reportedly said: "When does someone say [he] is too ill to carry on as leader of the Labour Party let alone prime minister? There must be senior people in the party who know that he is not functioning on all cylinders.” But Labour hit back, insisting Mr Corbyn, 70, exercised frequently.A party spokesperson said: "Jeremy Corbyn leads an active life, running and cycling regularly, and is in good health. Reports to the contrary are scurrilous and a transparent attempt to undermine Labour's efforts to redistribute wealth and power from the few to the many."John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, said the claim Mr Corbyn was in ill health should be treated "with the contempt it deserves"He told Sky News: "Jeremy Corbyn is the age of many other world leaders. He's incredibly fit. He'll give 20 or 30 years on most other people. He runs every day, he cycles."He added: "We need a wise, experienced leader who will bring the country together again."Mr Corbyn's team have previously said the Labour leader is undergoing treatment at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London for a muscle weakness in his right eye.The Times also quoted current and former Labour staffers accusing Mr Corbyn's chief of staff, Carrie Murphy, of bullying, including allegedly jabbing someone in the chestA Labour spokesperson said: "These allegations are clearly based on politically motivated anonymous briefings rather than fact. No complaint of this nature has been made through union or party processes, and if they were, they would be fully investigated."](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/T8Sz9pZ9AKHeMx35H7tyaA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTcyMA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the_independent_577/ee55374f57a591790fbb9379ea0dded9)
Jeremy Corbyn’s close aides will accept a no-deal Brexit and “don’t give a toss” about Labour members’ support for a fresh referendum, a party heavyweight says.
In a stinging attack, Margaret Beckett condemned “the leader's office” for the paralysis in the shadow cabinet, which again failed to agree a shift to fully back a Final Say public vote.
Labour MPs are furious about what one called the “muddle and confusion”, which they blame for putting the UK at greater risk of a Boris Johnson government crashing out of the EU in October.
But Dame Margaret, a former foreign secretary and temporary Labour leader, argued the “stumbling block” was not Mr Corbyn himself, but “the leader's office”.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Dame Margaret said: “I'm beginning to think that some of them do actually want Britain to leave the EU no matter what.
“They don't give a toss about what the British people now want or what Labour members think is in the country's interests.
“They just are determined to make sure we don't do anything to impede Britain leaving, if necessary with no deal.”
Asked who she meant, Dame Margaret added: “I think there are people very close to him, with great influence with him, who are and have been from the beginning passionately opposed [to EU membership].
“He wants to keep the party together as much as possible and present a united front on the issue.”
Some have referred to “the four Ms” in Mr Corbyn’s team, all known opponents of a fresh Brexit referendum and some of whom have a long antipathy to the EU.
They are Seamus Milne, his director of communications, Karie Murphy, his chief of staff, Andrew Murray, his political adviser, and Len McCluskey, the head of the powerful Unite trade union.
At Tuesday’s shadow cabinet, Mr Corbyn refused to budge on his stance that “any deal” to be “put to a public vote", which could mean a general election or second referendum.
Frontbench supporters of another referendum are desperate for Mr Corbyn to start campaigning for it – and to guarantee Labour would back Remain if it took place.
They were alarmed, last week, when the leader said any referendum ballot paper should contain “real choices for both Leave and Remain voters”.
He also floated the option of copying Harold Wilson’s approach, during the 1975 referendum, when the then-leader took no active position, allowing both wings of his party to fight it out.
