Kinnock did pretty well in 1992 (Was it?) and Corbyn did OK in 2016. Both events resulted in massive campaigns against them by both the right wing wing press and the right wing of their own party. Given support within the party and the tenacity to stand up to the Tory puppet masters I think they both could have achieved a political recentering but it was not to be and, yes, nowadays, we have to make do and mend :-(

Still, more a topic for UK politics than this thread I think.