Former Vice President Joe Biden capitalized Thursday on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s landslide victory as a chance to criticize his progressive Democratic primary opponents, telling reporters that the results are indicative of the political perils of moving too far left too quickly.
“Look what happens when the Labour Party moves so, so far to the left. It comes up with ideas that are not able to be contained within a rational basis quickly,” Biden said at a fundraiser Thursday evening after learning the results of the U.K. general election. “You’re also going to see people saying ‘my god, Boris Johnson, who is a kind of a physical and emotional clone of the president, is able to win.’” Biden concluded by saying that voters want both someone who can beat the president and unify the party.
Ahead of Britain’s general election on Thursday, American progressives offered their support for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn — who said Friday he would step down after losing in a landslide. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.), who has endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders, tweeted in support of Corbyn, saying “the only way we change is with a massive surge of *new* voters at the polls.”
This video is about the UK, but it might as well have been produced about the United States.
The hoarding of wealth by the few is coming at the cost of peoples’ lives.
The only way we change is with a massive surge of *new* voters at the polls. UK, Vote!pic.twitter.com/N5JYaVGCBs
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 12, 2019
Election results showed Conservatives flipping traditional Labour strongholds in north and central England on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s campaigning to “get Brexit done.” Conservatives won the seat of Blyth Valley, an area that had been held by Labour since 1950, and Bishop Auckland, who elected the first Tory member of Parliament in its 134 year history.
Sanders’ national organizing director also tweeted in support of Corbyn, saying “The Bernie team says #VoteLabour.”
The Bernie team says #VoteLabour. Solidarity with all the folks knocking on doors in the cold rain getting out the vote #ForTheManyNotTheFew! 🌹 pic.twitter.com/gdeBqEAr3f
— Claire Sandberg (@clairesandberg) December 12, 2019
Following Labour’s defeat, members pressured Corbyn, 70, to not only step down as party leader but to resign entirely due to the loss, which they claim resulted largely from his failed leadership.
“Corbyn talking about a period of reflection. I’ve reflected. You failed. Please stand down,” read a tweet from MP Margaret Hodge, a Labour member who kept her London seat.