Labour split helps Brexit?

The long -awaited split in Labour was launched yesterday. Someone has already noticed the negative-facing nature of their reasons for the split -- they don't like anti-semitism, they don't like Corbyn, they don't like Brexit, they are centrists because they don't like left or right. We have had a re-run stuff about breaking the mould of politics from he-who-would-be-king, C Umunna, but even that seems borrowed from old SDP/Lib arguments spiced with some recent Guardianista stuff about the new generational politics replacing social class -- so presumably they will dissolve themselves when they reach 45, or whatever P Toynbee thinks is too old?

P Toynbee herself is not too keen though:

These seven lack anyone of the stature, public recognition or intellectual heft of the SDP leaders. The Gang of Four [SDP founders] between them had all held serious government office – between them they had occupied the roles of chancellor, home secretary, foreign secretary, education and transport secretary. This grouplet does not have that kind of weight and it lacks ideological substance and ideas.

 The timing is monstrously badly judged [we'll see why in a minute] and the reasons the MPs give are oddly scattergun, lacking political punch and focus... this walkout is a damaging distraction, because right here, right now, there is only one cause that matters – Brexit......These seven defectors were vague on reasons for jumping ship, beyond wishing for a better leader....Labour MPs walking away at this point only give succour to those Labour pro-Brexiters,such as Caroline Flint, who caricature those in favour of reversing Brexit as members of “metropolitan elites”.

Of those that have not split: 

The best of them, such as Peter Kyle and Yvette Cooper, are stuck deep into battle to rescue us from calamity: Labour will again back Cooper’s amendment next week to prevent a no-deal crash-out and delay withdrawal. Some of those 35 Labour MPs who failed to back it last time are being brought round, giving it a good chance of success.

Toynbee reawakens the old stuff about Labour being dominated by the Unions (an SDP and general nice persons' theme)

you only had to listen to the Unite leader’s infuriating [they are still SO angry] pro-Brexit views on the Peston show last week to suspect he spoke the Labour leader’s mind too. 

She also reminds us that it can get personal, even for nice people, whpo would otherwise condemn those pickets shouting at 'scabs' or 'blacklegs' :

So deep was the SDP/Labour split that sitting in the Guardian canteen, Labourites picked up their plates and walked away from us SDP-ites. Schism is bitter and personal. And in this particular case, needless.

Poor Toynbee has had a hard time, what with that and people not being much nicer to her mother on the switchboard during wartime

There are already counter-accusations that this will only keep Tories in power just as did the SDP. On that, J Hunt has already cited the Labour split to advantage:

Jeremy Hunt has seized on Labour’s split, claiming to European foreign ministers it proved that only concessions to win round Conservative rightwingers will get the Brexit deal through the Commons...During a frenetic day of lobbying in Brussels, the foreign secretary privately counselled his EU counterparts that the opposition could not be relied upon, even if the government pivoted to backing a customs union.