Star comment: Corbyn in danger of disaster
A party leader who a majority of his own MPs do not want. A shadow chancellor nobody has ever heard of whose life's work is to "overthrow capitalism". A shadow cabinet comprising key members with transparently low enthusiasm for Corbynism.
And now an appointment of a vegan to uphold the interests of the agricultural industry, which will come like a slap in the face with a wet cabbage leaf for farmers in Shropshire and Mid Wales.
Kerry McCarthy, the new shadow secretary for environment, food, and rural affairs, has attacked livestock farming as "dirty and cruel" and has also campaigned against the badger cull, a measure supported by many farmers desperate to do something about bovine TB which is plaguing their herds.
Jeremy Corbyn could hardly have picked somebody with less convincing credentials to take on the role of farmers' champion. Just who is she going to represent? Or is she just going to be representing an ideology? She is a minister for farmers who is anti-farmer.
Labour's problem in the last two general elections has been of credibility. Mr Corbyn's big USP in the leadership election was the assertion that he sticks to his principles. Those in Labour who voted for him on that basis can hardly be surprised that, now that he has won, he is sticking to those principles and giving the country what he feels will be a radical alternative to the Tories.
And for those in Labour who are holding their heads in their hands, he has a crushing response. Look at the voting figures. He has an overwhelming mandate from ordinary members.
He has turned things on their head. Now we can see, from his victory, that Labour MPs have not represented the grass roots. The grass roots have risen up, and now it is the MPs who are not represented by their leader.
To his critics in the parliamentary party, he can legitimately say that it is they who are out of step with the Labour mood. If he were to be really mischievous, he might even suggest that the middle-of-the-roaders and Blairites are the real rebels and extremists.
Look at it from his point of view. This is his big chance. All that dreaming, and now he can put his theories into practice.
The shadow cabinet has become like a huge political chemistry experiment. It could all end up a mess on the floor.
