As things stand, I really can’t blame anyone for wanting to take a punt on Corbynism in the upcoming election. It’s not what I believe in; I can’t see how social democracy in one country could be workable, and I still believe that the only thing that’ll get us out of the mess we’re in would be ungovernable mass working-class movements. But the Jehovah’s Witnesses I walk past every day would tell you the same thing about Jesus, and in the UK in 2017 I recognise that my hopes don’t really look all that more plausible than theirs. So, in the absence of anything better, I can totally understand why people might want to vote to oppose the tories.

As a quick aside, I understand the Lib Dems are currently posing as the real alternative who can be trusted to oppose May’s Brexit plans all the way. I find it hard to imagine that anyone could be gullible enough to fall for that, and if they are, they’re unlikely to be looking for advice from obscure anarchist bloggers, but if anyone is: for god’s sake, sort yourself out.

Anyway, back to Labour: I can respect the reasons why people might want to vote for Corbynism as an alternative project, but the way the electoral system is set up means that, if you don’t live in Islington North, you’re not going to be able to vote for Corbyn. Across vast sections of the country, the closest thing we can do is to vote for some red-tied snake who’s committed to doing everything they can to sabotage the Corbyn project, which seems like a funny way of supporting him.

Only you can decide whether you’re going to bother voting or not, and I don’t know how likely my thoughts are to sway anyone else; but for what it’s worth, I just want to remind readers of two prime examples of what the Parliamentary Labour Party’s record of opposing the tories looks like in practice.

The first is from 2013, when benefits claimants who’d been pressured into unpaid work schemes managed to win a court case, meaning that the benefit sanctions used to punish people who refused to participate were ruled unlawful, and it briefly looked like the government might have to pay a lot of compensation to claimants who’d been sanctioned for refusing to work for free, before the government got around it by changing the law to retrospectively make their actions legal. The majority of Labour MPs chose to abstain on the question of whether the tories should be able to rewrite the law to get out of their obligations to people they’d bullied for refusing to work for free.

The second is the Welfare Reform Bill of 2015, which cut child tax credits, lowered the disability benefit ESA from £103 to £73 a week, introduced the benefits cap and abandoned the goal of ending child poverty. The majority of Labour MPs also chose to abstain on that vote.

So, in this coming election, do whatever you think is best; but, as the sayings go, turnabout is fair play, and what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. If your local MP is among those who, when given a chance to do something to help claimants, chose to sit on their hands, I think it’s entirely fair enough to do the same in response when they come begging for you to help them keep their cushy jobs. It certainly seems more sensible than hoping that they’ll suddenly change their ways next time round.

In the interests of historical memory, here are the Labour MPs who abstained on the Jobseekers (Back to Work Schemes) Bill in 2013:

Diane Abbott Hackney North and Stoke Newington

Debbie Abrahams Oldham East and Saddleworth

Bob Ainsworth Coventry North East

Douglas Alexander Paisley and Renfrewshire South

Heidi Alexander Lewisham East

Rushanara Ali Bethnal Green and Bow

Graham Allen Nottingham North

Jon Ashworth Leicester South

Ian Austin Dudley North

Adrian Bailey West Bromwich West

William Bain Glasgow North East

Edward Balls Morley and Outwood

Gordon Banks Ochil and South Perthshire

Kevin Barron Rother Valley

Hugh Bayley York Central

Margaret Beckett Derby South

Anne Begg Aberdeen South

Hilary Benn Leeds Central

Joe Benton Bootle

Luciana Berger Liverpool, Wavertree

Clive Betts Sheffield South East

Roberta Blackman-Woods City of Durham

Hazel Blears Salford and Eccles

Tom Blenkinsop Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland

Paul Blomfield Sheffield Central

David Blunkett Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough

Ben Bradshaw Exeter

Kevin Brennan Cardiff West

Gordon Brown Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath

Lyn Brown West Ham

Russell Brown Dumfries and Galloway

Chris Bryant Rhondda

Karen Buck Westminster North

Andy Burnham Leigh

Liam Byrne Birmingham, Hodge Hill

Alan Campbell Tynemouth

Ronnie Campbell Blyth Valley

Martin Caton Gower

Sarah Champion Rotherham

Jenny Chapman Darlington

Tom Clarke Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill

Ann Clwyd Cynon Valley

Vernon Coaker Gedling

Ann Coffey Stockport

Rosie Cooper West Lancashire

Yvette Cooper Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford

Mary Creagh Wakefield

Stella Creasy Walthamstow

Jon Cruddas Dagenham and Rainham

John Cryer Leyton and Wanstead

Alex Cunningham Stockton North

Jim Cunningham Coventry South

Tony Cunningham Workington

Margaret Curran Glasgow East

Nicholas Dakin Scunthorpe

Simon Danczuk Rochdale

Alistair Darling Edinburgh South West

Wayne David Caerphilly

Geraint Davies Swansea West

Gloria De Piero Ashfield

John Denham Southampton, Itchen

Frank Dobson Holborn and St Pancras

Thomas Docherty Dunfermline and West Fife

Brian H Donohoe Central Ayrshire

Frank Doran Aberdeen North

Stephen Doughty Cardiff South and Penarth

Jim Dowd Lewisham West and Penge

Gemma Doyle West Dunbartonshire

Jack Dromey Birmingham, Erdington

Michael Dugher Barnsley East

Angela Eagle Wallasey

Maria Eagle Garston and Halewood

Clive Efford Eltham

Julie Elliott Sunderland Central

Louise Ellman Liverpool, Riverside

Natascha Engel North East Derbyshire

Chris Evans Islwyn

Paul Farrelly Newcastle-under-Lyme

Frank Field Birkenhead

Jim Fitzpatrick Poplar and Limehouse

Rob Flello Stoke-on-Trent South

Caroline Flint Don Valley

Paul Flynn Newport West

Yvonne Fovargue Makerfield

Hywel Francis Aberavon

Mike Gapes Ilford South

Barry Gardiner Brent North

Sheila Gilmore Edinburgh East

Pat Glass North West Durham

Roger Godsiff Birmingham, Hall Green

Paul Goggins Wythenshawe and Sale East

Helen Goodman Bishop Auckland

Tom Greatrex Rutherglen and Hamilton West

Kate Green Stretford and Urmston

Lilian Greenwood Nottingham South

Nia Griffith Llanelli

Andrew Gwynne Denton and Reddish

Peter Hain Neath

David Hamilton Midlothian

David Hanson Delyn

Harriet Harman Camberwell and Peckham

Tom Harris Glasgow South

John Healey Wentworth and Dearne

Mark Hendrick Preston

Stephen Hepburn Jarrow

David Heyes Ashton-under-Lyne

Meg Hillier Hackney South and Shoreditch

Julie Hilling Bolton West

Margaret Hodge Barking

Sharon Hodgson Washington and Sunderland West

Kate Hoey Vauxhall

Jimmy Hood Lanark and Hamilton East

George Howarth Knowsley

Lindsay Hoyle Chorley

Tristram Hunt Stoke-on-Trent Central

Huw Irranca-Davies Ogmore

Glenda Jackson Hampstead and Kilburn

Siân James Swansea East

Cathy Jamieson Kilmarnock and Loudoun

Dan Jarvis Barnsley Central

Alan Johnson Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle

Diana R. Johnson Kingston upon Hull North

Graham Jones Hyndburn

Helen Jones Warrington North

Kevan Jones North Durham

Susan Elan Jones Clwyd South

Tessa Jowell Dulwich and West Norwood

Eric Joyce Falkirk

Gerald Kaufman Manchester, Gorton

Barbara Keeley Worsley and Eccles South

Liz Kendall Leicester West

Sadiq Khan Tooting

David Lammy Tottenham

Chris Leslie Nottingham East

Ivan Lewis Bury South

Andrew Love Edmonton

Ian Lucas Wrexham

Khalid Mahmood Birmingham, Perry Barr

Shabana Mahmood Birmingham, Ladywood

Seema Malhotra Feltham and Heston

John Mann Bassetlaw

Gordon Marsden Blackpool South

Steve McCabe Birmingham, Selly Oak

Michael McCann East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow

Kerry McCarthy Bristol East

Gregg McClymont Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East

Siobhain McDonagh Mitcham and Morden

Andy McDonald Middlesbrough

Pat McFadden Wolverhampton South East

Alison McGovern Wirral South

Anne McGuire Stirling

Ann McKechin Glasgow North

Iain McKenzie Inverclyde

Catherine McKinnell Newcastle upon Tyne North

Alan Meale Mansfield

David Miliband South Shields

Ed Miliband Doncaster North

Andrew Miller Ellesmere Port and Neston

Jessica Morden Newport East

Graeme Morrice Livingston

George Mudie Leeds East

Meg Munn Sheffield, Heeley

Jim Murphy East Renfrewshire

Paul Murphy Torfaen

Ian Murray Edinburgh South

Lisa Nandy Wigan

Pamela Nash Airdrie and Shotts

Fiona O’Donnell East Lothian

Chi Onwurah Newcastle upon Tyne Central

Albert Owen Ynys Môn

Toby Perkins Chesterfield

Bridget Phillipson Houghton and Sunderland South

Steve Pound Ealing North

Lucy Powell Manchester Central

Dawn Primarolo Bristol South

Yasmin Qureshi Bolton South East

Nick Raynsford Greenwich and Woolwich

Jamie Reed Copeland

Steve Reed Croydon North

Rachel Reeves Leeds West

Emma Reynolds Wolverhampton North East

Jonathan Reynolds Stalybridge and Hyde

Linda Riordan Halifax

John Robertson Glasgow North West

Geoffrey Robinson Coventry North West

Frank Roy Motherwell and Wishaw

Lindsay Roy Glenrothes

Chris Ruane Vale of Clwyd

Joan Ruddock Lewisham, Deptford

Anas Sarwar Glasgow Central

Andy Sawford Corby

Alison Seabeck Plymouth, Moor View

Virendra Sharma Ealing, Southall

Gavin Shuker Luton South

Andrew Slaughter Hammersmith

Andrew Smith Oxford East

Angela Smith Penistone and Stocksbridge

Nick Smith Blaenau Gwent

Owen Smith Pontypridd

John Spellar Warley

Jack Straw Blackburn

Gisela Stuart Birmingham, Edgbaston

Mark Tami Alyn and Deeside

Gareth Thomas Harrow West

Emily Thornberry Islington South and Finsbury

Stephen Timms East Ham

Jon Trickett Hemsworth

Karl Turner Kingston upon Hull East

Derek Twigg Halton

Stephen Twigg Liverpool, West Derby

Chuka Umunna Streatham

Keith Vaz Leicester East

Valerie Vaz Walsall South

Tom Watson West Bromwich East

Dave Watts St Helens North

Alan Whitehead Southampton, Test

Chris Williamson Derby North

Phil Wilson Sedgefield

Rosie Winterton Doncaster Central

John Woodcock Barrow and Furness

Shaun Woodward St Helens South and Whiston

David Wright Telford

Iain Wright Hartlepool

And here are the 184 who didn’t vote against the cuts to welfare in 2015:

Heidi Alexander

Rushanara Ali

Graham Allen

Jon Ashworth

Ian Austin

Adrian Bailey

Kevin Barron

Margaret Beckett

Hilary Benn

Luciana Berger

Clive Betts

Roberta Blackman-Woods

Tom Blenkinsop

Paul Blomfield

Ben Bradshaw

Kevin Brennan

Lyn Brown

Nick Brown

Chris Bryant

Karen Buck

Richard Burden

Andy Burnham

Liam Byrne

Ruth Cadbury

Alan Campbell

Ronnie Campbell

Sarah Champion

Jenny Chapman

Vernon Coaker

Ann Coffey

Julie Cooper

Rosie Cooper

Yvette Cooper

Jo Cox

Neil Coyle

David Crausby

Mary Creagh

Stella Creasy

Jon Cruddas

John Cryer

Judith Cummins

Alex Cunningham

Jim Cunningham

Nicholas Dakin

Simon Danczuk

Wayne David

Gloria De Piero

Thangam Debbonaire

Stephen Doughty

Jim Dowd

Jack Dromey

Michael Dugher

Angela Eagle

Maria Eagle

Clive Efford

Julie Elliott

Louise Ellman

Natascha Engel

Bill Esterson

Chris Evans

Paul Farrelly

Frank Field

Jim Fitzpatrick

Rob Flello

Colleen Fletcher

Caroline Flint

Yvonne Fovargue

Vicky Foxcroft

Mike Gapes

Barry Gardiner

Pat Glass

Kate Green

Lilian Greenwood

Nia Griffith

Andrew Gwynne

Fabian Hamilton

David Hanson

Harriet Harman

Harry Harpham

Helen Hayes

John Healey

Mark Hendrick

Stephen Hepburn

Meg Hillier

Margaret Hodge

Sharon Hodgson

Kate Hoey

Kate Hollern

George Howarth

Lindsay Hoyle

Tristram Hunt

Rupa Huq

Huw Irranca-Davies

Dan Jarvis

Alan Johnson

Diana R. Johnson

Graham Jones

Kevan Jones

Susan Elan Jones

Mike Kane

Barbara Keeley

Liz Kendall

Stephen Kinnock

Peter Kyle

Chris Leslie

Emma Lewell-Buck

Ivan Lewis

Ian Lucas

Fiona Mactaggart

Justin Madders

Khalid Mahmood

Shabana Mahmood

Seema Malhotra

John Mann

Gordon Marsden

Chris Matheson

Steve McCabe

Kerry McCarthy

Siobhain McDonagh

Pat McFadden

Conor McGinn

Alison McGovern

Catherine McKinnell

Alan Meale

Ed Miliband

Jessica Morden

Ian Murray

Lisa Nandy

Melanie Onn

Chi Onwurah

Albert Owen

Matthew Pennycook

Toby Perkins

Jess Phillips

Bridget Phillipson

Steve Pound

Lucy Powell

Yasmin Qureshi

Angela Rayner

Jamie Reed

Steve Reed

Christina Rees

Rachel Reeves

Emma Reynolds

Jonathan Reynolds

Geoffrey Robinson

Stephen Philip Rotheram

Joan Ryan

Naseem Shah

Virendra Sharma

Barry Sheerman

Gavin Shuker

Andrew Slaughter

Ruth Smeeth

Andrew Smith

Angela Smith

Jeff Smith

Nick Smith

Owen Smith

Karin Smyth

John Spellar

Keir Starmer

Wes Streeting

Gisela Stuart

Mark Tami

Gareth Thomas

Nick Thomas-Symonds

Emily Thornberry

Stephen Timms

Jon Trickett

Anna Turley

Karl Turner

Derek Twigg

Stephen Twigg

Chuka Umunna

Keith Vaz

Valerie Vaz

Holly Walker-Lynch

Tom Watson

Catherine West

Alan Whitehead

Phil Wilson

Rosie Winterton

John Woodcock