London: Jeremy Corbyn was accused Tuesday of being “disloyal” for refusing to sing the national anthem and faced chaos within his own party when one of his shadow cabinet ministers threatened to resign after just two days.
The new Labour leader faced heavy criticism for standing in silence while God Save the Queen was sung during a Battle of Britain remembrance ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral attended by the Prime Minister, the Defence Secretary and scores of military leaders.
Former military commanders as well as Labour and Tory MPs said Corbyn was “dishonourable” for refusing to sing.
David Cameron was among those who suggested that Corbyn should have sung the anthem.
Corbyn, a staunch republican who has called for the monarchy to be abolished, later insisted that he “stood in respectful silence” during the remembrance ceremony.
His failure to sing came a day after he was accused of hypocrisy for accepting a place on the Privy Council — which will require him to kneel before the Queen and kiss her hand — despite his republican views.
It was the low point of a shambolic day for Corbyn in which he saw his most experienced minister — Blairite Lord Falconer — threaten to resign after just two days in post.
He forgot his lines during the first major speech of his tenure.
Sources close to Hillary Clinton attacked Corbyn’s views on Nato and his description of Osama Bin Laden’s death as a “tragedy” after one of her US presidential rivals welcomed his appointment.
He learnt that 100 Labour MPs were preparing to defy him by preparing to campaign publicly for Britain to stay in the EU “with or without” the new leader’s support.
He became embroiled in a row over his pacifism after refusing to rule out wearing a white poppy on Remembrance Sunday.
Corbyn on Tuesday travelled to the TUC conference in Brighton where he delivered a rambling speech that called for people to be given unlimited benefits. Just before he took to the stage, the string quartet played a rendition of Hey, Big Spender, an apparent reference to his “people’s quantitative easing” policy.
Corbyn also said the unions would write his manifesto for the next general election, and compared the government to the fascist leadership of General Franco in Spain.
On Wednesday, he prepares to face David Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions for the first time.
He has “crowd sourced” his questions to Cameron by inviting members of the public to submit their ideas via the Labour website.
Labour said that more than 30,000 people had submitted questions in recent days.
Corbyn last night issued a statement responding to the strong criticism over his decision not to sing the national anthem.
A spokesman said: “Jeremy attended [the] event to show respect for those who fought in conflicts for Britain.
“As he said the heroism of the Royal Air Force in the Battle of Britain is something to which we all owe an enormous debt of gratitude.
He stood in respectful silence during the anthem.”
In contrast to other leaders and dignitaries at the event,
Corbyn wore a mismatched jacket and trousers and his top shirt button was undone.
Asked if Cameron was surprised Corbyn had not sung the anthem, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The importance the Prime Minister attaches to the national anthem is visible — every time he’s at one of these services or a state or national event, he is very proud and willing to join with others in singing the national anthem.”
Admiral Lord West of Spithead, a Labour peer and former security minister, said: “Singing the national anthem is a sign of loyalty to the United Kingdom and British people. I cannot believe that the people of our great nation could contemplate a Prime Minister who lacks that loyalty.”
Sir Nicholas Soames, a Tory MP and the grandson of Winston Churchill, said not singing the anthem was “very rude and very disrespectful” to the Queen and “the Battle of Britain pilots who gave their all”.
Sir Nicholas said: “It was an extremely disrespectful thing and I think he needs to make his mind up whether he is a grown-up or not.”
Simon Danczuk, a Labour MP, said: “Jeremy is struggling to realise he is not just a back-bench MP now. He might get away with not singing the national anthem in North Islington, but he is the leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition.
“It is dishonourable to turn up at an event like this and not sing the anthem. If I did that in Rochdale I would get hung, drawn and quartered.
“He has responsibility to pay respect to those that were being remembered at events like this.”
At a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday, Corbyn was repeatedly challenged over the EU but said he would not set out a position until
Cameron has finished his renegotiation with Brussels.
Corbyn has suggested that he could campaign for Britain to leave the EU if Cameron weakens EU rules that protect workers’ rights.
The Unite union on Tuesday said it would join the “out” campaign if Cameron negotiates away workplace protections.
Corbyn has been accused of “lying” to members of his shadow cabinet, including shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, by telling them that he would not campaign to leave the EU. Lord Falconer, the shadow justice secretary, said that his “position would become impossible” if Corbyn does not adopt a pro-EU stance.
— Daily Telegraph
