Andrew Murray: Who is the ex-communist joining the Labour campaign?
Jeremy Corbyn brings in former Morning Star journalist - and 'long-term friend' - to spearhead election strategy

Jeremy Corbyn's appointment of a controversial former communist as his campaign strategist has raised eyebrows.
Trade unionist Andrew Murray, who switched his allegiance from the Communist Party to Labour six months ago, has been drafted in to give the election campaign a boost in the final weeks.
He has apparently joined Corbyn's inner circle with a mission to "improve co-ordination between the leaders’ team and the rest of the party’s HQ", The Sun reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
However, several commentators have questioned the wisdom of putting a radical with a track record of polarising rhetoric into the heart of an already-difficult campaign.
Who is Andrew Murray?
Described as "one of Corbyn's oldest friends" by The Spectator, the 59-year-old former journalist once worked for socialist daily newspaper Morning Star and was chairman of the Stop the War coalition, an activist group that lobbied against military interventions in the Middle East, from 2001 to 2011 and then again from 2015-2016.
He is being lent out to Corbyn from his day job as chief of staff to Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite union, one of Labour's biggest financial backers.
Why is his appointment so controversial?
Some of Murray's former political views could be considered a liability for his new employer. He "once called for 'solidarity' with North Korea", says the Daily Mail, and his appearance in the top ranks of the campaign "has caused fury among Labour moderates".
One party insider appeared to confirm, telling The Spectator's Steerpike column: "It’s like being in the middle of a Trump election. Andrew Murray is to Corbyn what Steve Bannon is to Trump."
Murray's track record on Israel and the Middle East is especially controversial. The Jewish Chronicle summed up their objection to the appointment in a single headline: "Corbyn appoints anti-Israel activist as campaign chief."
It adds that Stop the War has repeatedly been accused of promoting extreme anti-Israel viewpoints and that Murray in 2012 urged solidarity with the "heroic" Palestinian people, adding: "We have a message for the Israeli embassy, the Israeli government… every time you kill a Palestinian child, you are digging your own graves."
What does Labour say?
Praising Murray's "enormous abilities and professionalism" today, Corbyn brushed off questions about his new appointment's political stance. "I don't believe that Andrew is anything other than a democratic socialist and member of the Labour party, like me," he said.
A Labour source also downplayed Murray's role, telling the Huffington Post he was not "heading up" the party's campaign but simply offering support.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How will Labour pay for welfare U-turn?
Today's Big Question A dramatic concession to Labour rebels has left the government facing more fiscal dilemmas
-
Backbench rebellions and broken promises: is it getting harder to govern?
Today's Big Question Backbench rebellions and broken promises: is it getting harder to govern?
-
Labour's brewing welfare rebellion
The Explainer Keir Starmer seems determined to press on with disability benefit cuts despite a "nightmare" revolt by his own MPs
-
Is the G7 still relevant?
Talking Point Donald Trump's early departure cast a shadow over this week's meeting of the world's major democracies
-
Angela Rayner: Labour's next leader?
Today's Big Question A leaked memo has sparked speculation that the deputy PM is positioning herself as the left-of-centre alternative to Keir Starmer
-
Is Starmer's plan to send migrants overseas Rwanda 2.0?
Today's Big Question Failed asylum seekers could be removed to Balkan nations under new government plans
-
Can Starmer sell himself as the 'tough on immigration' PM?
Today's Big Question Former human rights lawyer 'now needs to own the change – not just mouth the slogans' to win over a sceptical public
-
Where is the left-wing Reform?
Today's Big Question As the Labour Party leans towards the right, progressive voters have been left with few alternatives