Harold Wilson, British prime minister in the 1960s and 1970s, once said that the Labour party he led owed more to Methodism than to Karl Marx. Those at the top of the party today do not share their predecessor’s view.

Before Jeremy Corbyn was unexpectedly elected Labour leader in 2015, he led a career of far-left obscurity, catching the attention of the public now and then only thanks to his support for Hamas, Hugo Chávez, and anyone lined up on his side in what he sees as a global battle against capitalism and the West. Three years later, he is the bookmakers’ favorite to be Britain’s next leader.