Former cabinet minister Harriet Harman did join in with the applause, only to be castigated by Miliband’s brother (and defeated leadership rival) David, who leaned in to her and said: “You voted for it, why are you clapping?” Hardly the best start.
2016: Jeremy Corbyn really, really sorry for the Iraq war
When veteran left-wing MP Jeremy Corbyn sensationally won the Labour leadership in 2016, he had plenty to say about the reasons for its spate of election defeats and how to put things right.
He accused the Westminster establishment of being out-of-touch with young people, slammed the “intrusive” and “abusive” media, and suggested his party had abandoned its core supporters.
But Corbyn also made the promise of further apologies for Iraq a key promise in his leadership bid — which he delivered on repeatedly.
The time for an apology on behalf of the Labour Party was “past time,” the veteran anti-interventionist later stated. The U.K.’s involvement was, he said, based on “deception,” with MPs “misled” by the governmental top brass.
Like his predecessor, Corbyn hoped setting the record straight would encourage disillusioned voters — particularly young people — to return to his party, even if it meant some short-term anger from the right.