Corbyn and Salmond’s deep-state fears are a very British fantasy | Martin Kettle

Blaming failures on Zinoviev-letter-style conspiracies is understandable. But radical movements should look to their own failings

Alex Salmond and Jeremy Corbyn may seem strange political bedfellows. But the movements with which each is associated have something in common. Each is sustained in part by powerful myths, turbo-charged by social media, of betrayal and conspiracy. If things go right for their movements, they say the people have spoken. But if things go wrong, their supporters’ first response is too often to cry foul.

For some, the clincher was that Leslie Evans is married to a former head of MI5. She isn't

Related: Holyrood must focus on the Alex Salmond harassment claims, not point-scoring | Dani Garavelli

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