I WAS disappointed to read of David Drew’s support for Jeremy Corbyn (July 13, p10).

Perhaps Mr Drew has let his friendship with Mr Corbyn cloud his eyes to some of Corbyn’s less appealing characteristics.

(1) Corbyn is paid up to £73,617 pa, on top of his MP’s salary, to be the ‘Leader of Her Majesty’s Most Loyal Opposition’, an essential role given our asinine confrontational parliamentary system.

The country has to have a reliable, strong, thought out opposition if the party in power isn’t going to ride roughshod over everyone by default.

This government has to be held to account, like any other, and Corbyn either can’t do that or won’t do that (or both).

(2) His performance in the referendum campaign was simply the last straw.

Either he truly supported Remain, in which his performance nationally was lacklustre to the point of irresponsibility.

Or he didn’t, in which case, given how wonderful we are told he is, uttering his support was an act of hypocrisy easily on the scale of Blair’s in his time.

(3) Somebody who has to tell others how humble he is, probably isn’t.

So, whereas other high profile politicians do the old ego trip thing, and we all go, “same old, same old”, with Corbyn it is dressed up in pseudo-humility, which is really rather distasteful.

(4) For all that he has adoring fans, he has lost the parliamentary party.

To misquote Wilde, to lose one MP is a misfortune, to lose 172 looks like rather more than carelessness.

If four out of five of one of your teams tells you, to a man and woman, that you are unable to lead them, wouldn’t humility require at least a little consideration of their case?

One could go on.

The main thing about Corbyn is, whatever you think of his views, he’s not a leader–– he’s not anything else (like a boss) either.

Were he to stand in an election, he would be crucified by the Tories (and the electorate), and we don’t need that.

I hold the Labour and Tory parties in equal contempt, but I see the need for a strong political system and Corbyn isn’t part of it.

(Most of my undefended assertions above come from a 30 minute film, Jeremy Corbyn — the outsider, made by a Corbyn supporter, and viewable on Youtube.)

Jeremy Marchant

Stroud