Momentum or Maomentum? Copeland Edition

Back in December I first published the game of Momentum or Maomentum?, in which I found various quotes on Twitter and challenged readers of this blog to sort the thoughts of genuine Jeremy Corbyn supporters from satirical piss-takes of those supporters.

I’ve updated that post a few times since then, but last night’s by-election has given me plenty of new material, so here’s a special Copeland Edition. Answers follow at the bottom of the page.

1. “To be 15-18 points behind in the polls and to push the Tories within 2000 votes is an incredible achievement.”

2. “The loss of Copeland was the fault of Blair, Brown and their apologists in the PLP.”

3. “The real fight for Copeland starts now.”

4. “Blairites have repeatedly refused to unite around Jeremy Corbyn, yet now they’re complaining about losing Copeland - and blame him. Unreal.”

5. “By voting for them, Copeland has sent a clear message to the Tories that the failed political consensus will no longer be tolerated.”

6. “Copeland vote result of 40 years of neglect by political establishment. Labour must win back the trust of those who have been left behind.”

7. “If the Tories are 15 points ahead in the polls and Corbyn is so unpopular, why didn’t they win in Stoke?”

8. “UKIP beaten in Stoke should be a bigger headline than Tories win in Copeland. Any excuse to kick Corbyn, eh?”

9. In response to a journalist criticising Corbyn: “How can we explain Corbyn winning 2 leadership elections, though?”

10. “Labour mustn’t become the Leicester of politics - Corbyn was elected with huge majorities twice in 18 months. Stick with it.”

11. “New Labour put power before principle, and tonight’s results show we are at last on the right path to reverse that once and for all!”

12. “The idea that Jeremy Corbyn is opposed to nuclear power is fake news.”

13. “We essentially lost this seat during the Blair and Brown years, but Blairites are trying to blame Corbyn. Pathetic.”

14. “Tories didn’t do anything special in Copeland. They picked up UKIP vote without having to do much campaigning.”

15. “Future errors will be eradicated! Defeats will become victories!”

ANSWERS

1. MOMENTUM - Quote from Cat Smith MP

2. MOMENTUM

3. MAOMENTUM

4. MOMENTUM

5. MAOMENTUM

6. MOMENTUM

7. MOMENTUM - tweeted from the @JeremyCorbyn4PM account after the Stoke result at a time when it was already clear the Tories had won in Copeland, and deleted shortly after the declaration

8. MOMENTUM

9. MOMENTUM

10. MOMENTUM

11. MAOMENTUM

12. MOMENTUM - Quote from Emily Thornberry MP

13. MAOMENTUM

14. MOMENTUM

15. TRICK QUESTION, I’m afraid. This is in fact a quote from Dalek creator Davros, as spoken in the classic 1975 Doctor Who story Genesis of the Daleks.

If you’ve never read this blog before, that last line is a pretty good indicator of what’s usually on it, incidentally...