YP Comment: The hubris of Jeremy Corbyn means Labour cannot fulfil its democratic duty

This decision was not taken lightly – the Labour leader is clearly a man of humanity.

Yet this stance – it is still rare for editorials to demand the resignation of prominent public figures – is vindicated by a torrid weekend in which the utter despair of respected Labour figures was self-evident while Shadow Cabinet members tried, and failed, to defend the indefensible rather than forming credible policies.

Labour cannot fulfil its democratic duty, the need to hold the Government to account, because of the vacuum that now exists and Mr Corbyn’s reluctance to bow to the inevitable, and step aside, is now one of the worst examples of hubris, even arrogance, in contemporary politics.

Even though he has twice been elected by a landslide, and is clearly a thoughtful man of great intellect, he does not have the qualities that modern leaders require, hence last week’s by-election humiliation, or the confidence of the country on issues pertaining to national security for example.

However, while a defiant Mr Corbyn told activists in Scotland that now is not the time to “retreat, run away or give up”, the desperate excuses offered by loyalists like Shami Chakrabarti, the shadow attorney general, bordered upon the risible.

She even blamed the party’s defeat in Copeland on Storm Doris, neglecting to mention that inclement weather had not deterred Labour voters previously, and Andrew Marr’s longstanding Sunday morning politics programme on the BBC not giving sufficient air-time to those supportive of Mr Corbyn.

A credible Opposition is essential to the political process. Even the most vociferous Tory right-wingers recognise this. If they can, why can’t Labour?

The only honourable and dignified course is for Mr Corbyn to resign now. As this column advised him 48 hours ago: “Your time is up.”