In its reporting of internal Labour tussles over the issue, last Sunday's Observer made reference to "a caucus of new Labour figures" who thought their leader's stance politically suicidal: "Frankly," said Smith, "you can count me into this 'caucus'".
But there was also internal Labour criticism that he lacked the leadership skills to take the party back into power and that his focus on issues such as zero-hours contracts and taxing the rich was too narrow.
He must publish the internal Labour inquiry into Falkirk.
More pressing are the accelerating labour issues.
They neglected labour issues, he said.
Labour issues are a high priority for this government".
But this is unlikely to have much of an impact on the internal Labour debate.
An internal Labour party inquiry, led by the respected peer Lady Royall, is already under way.
He seems almost as interested in internal Labour politics as he is in national politics.
It is therefore in their interests to exacerbate any hint of internal Labour revolt.
