Jeremy Corbyn Faces a Crisis of His Own Making

Brexit and an anti-Semitism scandal are putting the Labour leader under pressure

As Britain’s Conservative Party tears itself apart over Brexit, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn might be expected to be enjoying a big lead in the opinion polls.

Instead, the opposition is embroiled in a crisis every bit as deep as that facing the embattled government. At the European election, the Labour Party put in its worst national performance in almost a century. A recent poll by YouGov put the party in fourth place, trailing not only the Conservatives but the Brexit Party and Liberal Democrats, too.

Corbyn, a lifelong euroskeptic socialist, has been reluctant to oppose Brexit, leaving the party unable to capitalize on the unpopularity of leaving the European Union. At the same time, his party has been dogged by allegations of anti-Semitism — a scandal that has prompted lawmakers and supporters to resign in disgust.