Smith has thrown his hat into the ring after Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee, said Corbyn would automatically be on the ballot without needing to collect nominations from MPs.
Advertisement
The UK’s Labour Party decided on Tuesday that its leader Jeremy Corbyn has the automatic right to stand again in a new leadership contest pitting him against Angela Eagle.
Meanwhile, the party has reportedly closed a loophole over the upcoming election which would have allowed recent members of unions to vote in a leadership election.
“We did it thanks to you, thanks to you because all of you created a climate of opinion which gave courage to our representatives on the NEC who voted 18 to 14 for Jeremy to be on the ballot paper”.
However, according to the Daily Telegraph if you join Unite union, for £2, you can vote as an affiliate member.
But Hartlepool Constituency Labour Party president Edwin Jeffries said his members would be backing the leader.
Eagle is challenging as she feels Corbyn would not be an effective challenger to the Conservative Party in a General Election.
Steve McCabe said: “I have come to the conclusion Jeremy is a loser and he is going to destroy the Labour Party”.
Anti-Corbyn MPs fear the controversial move would be used by the leader’s supporters to purge them from the party.
“There were very well-qualified lawyers on hand to advise, so I think we are fine”.
Mr McDonnell’s incendiary comments came as veteran former minister Dame Margaret Hodge accused Mr Corbyn and his supporters of engaging in “dirty politics” as the party faced a bitter leadership battle set to eat up its energy over the next two months.
The Labour Party’s total membership is now reportedly around the half a million mark – more than the 405,000 it reached during the high point of Tony Blair’s premiership.
Members are concerned some Labour MPs are ignoring the party’s democratic process by calling for Jeremy Corbyn to step down as leader.
“But I hope and I expect it will be me”.
Advertisement
Mr Smith is standing on a platform to the left of Ms Eagle but not as left wing as Mr Corbyn. “If Corbyn wins, he will face the prospect of being a lame duck opposition leader – a man who is unlikely to be effective given that he has few friends or allies in Westminster”.
