Seumas Milne's terrible idea for a media stunt has sealed Jeremy Corbyn's fate

Labour's chief spin doctor let the television cameras in to a shadow cabinet meeting this morning, and with uncomfortable results

Another Seumas Milne genius bit of “Let Jeremy be Jeremy (and let the cameras in so the world can see unmediated by the wicked neoliberal media)”.

The leader’s press secretary and off-duty Guardian columnist let an ITN pool camera (the footage to be shared by all the main broadcasters) in to a shadow cabinet meeting this morning, with uncomfortable results, as it turned out that Corbyn himself didn’t think it was a good idea, and said so, on camera, thus making his own point.

Stephen Bush reports that it was the Vice News documentary – Milne’s previous bright idea – rather than Corbyn’s insipid Remain campaign that has really sowed doubt and uncertainty among the 250,000 Corbyn voters in the Labour Party.

I’m told that Milne tried desperately to get the documentary pulled. Hardly surprising, as he knew it included: Corbyn refusing to explain what it was that Ken Livingstone had done wrong that had prompted his suspension from the party; his events manager saying that he hoped Jeremy would be allowed to fail rather than be forced out; and Milne himself saying Corbyn's performances at Prime Minister's Questions weren’t very good because a Labour mole was leaking his questions to David Cameron in advance.

Milne’s media handling should ensure a slightly higher turnout for “no confidence” in this afternoon’s ballot. The result is expected soon after the close of the ballot at 4pm. Then attention will turn to the next question: who will be the candidate or candidates against Corbyn?