HOW humiliating for Jeremy Corbyn that six of his Labour leader predecessors have had to come to his rescue in the campaign to prevent the United Kingdom from leaving the European Union.

They have issued a joint open letter supporting the Remain campaign while, seemingly, Corbyn simply looks on.

Corbyn has already faced criticism for not allegedly doing enough, publicly at any rate, to boost that campaign.

He should be leading the party from the front in a campaign, ahead of what is regarded as the most important decision the British people will make for generations.

He should certainly not leave it to yesterday’s men and women to do the job for him.

Admittedly, Corbyn has now belatedly delivered a hard-hitting speech - quite a virulent one - on the subject, but just as one swallow does not a summer make, neither does a single speech - however robust - constitute a campaign.

Corbyn is already facing considerable criticism from a substantial number of his backbenchers who would like to see him deposed. What he should now do is introduce some fire and brimstone into his leadership.The allegations of his laid-back approach to these issues is causing great concern among socialists - both MPs and those elsewhere in the Labour spectrum.

But they elected him and so they will have to put on a brave face in dealing with it. In short, they are lumbered with him, hoist by their own petard.

THE Prime Minister has just undergone a traumatic week, politically. He emerged from it looking frayed at the edges and apparently coming apart at the seams.

There is no problem for David Cameron when he is lambasted by his political opponents in the House of Commons. He can - and often does - hit back as hard as he can.

Yet he is utterly defenceless when taken to task by young university students in a public, televised debate. So when Soraya Bouazzaoui accused him of waffling, Cameron simply had to take it on the chin and smile weakly.

His political enemies at Westminster can attack Cameron with as much venom as they can muster, but in the end it does him far less damage than the criticism from Soraya and her fellow students.

THE ludicrous idea – some would say it is much worse than merely ludicrous – to tell would-be employers to ask potential employees whether they went to a public or a state-run school should be abandoned before it sees the light of day.

This plan, put forward by Cabinet Office Minister Matthew Hancock, would punish youngsters for the decision of their parents to spend money on what they consider the best education for their offspring.

The distinguished Tory peer Lord Waldegrave has understandably threatened to resign the Conservative whip in the House of Lords, if this proposal is allowed to go through. Why can’t government ministers mind their own business?

I would hope that bigger brains in the Tory Party would have the sense to scotch this proposal at birth.