A terrible affliction has beset he parliamentary Labour Party. They are possessed with fear and loathing. Demons haunt their dreams and consume their waking moments. They are so beside themselves with rage and resentment that their veil of respectability has slipped, revealing many of them as they truly are; career politicians for whom electability is a virtue that trumps all big ideas and talk of principles.

So, what is it that has driven right of the Party into such a feverish state. Is it rising use of food-banks? No. Is it the growing funding crisis in the National Health Service? No. Is it the fact that students are being rewarded with crippling debts upon graduation or the dehumanisation of desperate people fleeing war and persecution? No.

It seems that none of these evils invokes as much anger and righteous indignation among Labour’s elite than a 66 year old campaign veteran…