The meeting, which starts at 7.30pm and is organised by Island members of national Momentum, the grassroots network that supports Jeremy Corbyn as Party leader, is the first step in launching a local campaign to help Mr Corbyn see off a challenge by Owen Smith MP, a former lobbyist and an advisor to Tony Blair.
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Mr Corbyn’s comments are likely to anger Labour MPs, with a re-selection process making it easier for pro-Corbyn hard-left activists to remove MPs who are opposed to the Labour leader, tightening his grip on the party.
Jeremy Corbyn has offered the “hand of friendship” to rebellious Labour MPs – but confirmed they could face a re-selection process ahead of the 2020 general election.
“I am interested that he refers to the situation of some workers who might have some job insecurity and potentially unscrupulous bosses”, she told Mr Corbyn.
McGinn added that he had also been targeted with a “torrent of abuse and threats” since he criticised Corbyn, with people sneaking into his office and threatening him at events. “I want the chance to address some of the issues that I think are serious for this country”.
“I am very surprised and actually very disappointed they should say that”.
“I don’t do any abuse, I don’t do any bullying, I don’t allow it to be done…”
The 46-year-old Smith, who previous worked as a BBC producer and a lobbyist for pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer, has paid tribute to Corbyn for “helping Labour discover its radical roots” but said the party needed a new generation to take it forward.
Labour whip Conor McGinn made the extraordinary claim that the party leader had considered using his father in an attempt to “apply pressure” on him following public criticism of Mr Corbyn.
But Mr Smith has the nominations of 162 of the party’s MPs – some 70% of its representation in the Commons – along with half of Labour’s MEPs.
Amid this turmoil on Friday, Mr Smith warned the party could be “destroyed” and “consigned to history” unless it could unite.
He went on to say that he and Angela Eagle had both faced death threats since announcing their intention to run against Jeremy Corbyn.
“During this time I have found Jeremy to be a truly decent and honest man. I voted against the “motion of no confidence” in Jeremy because there is no provision for “a motion of no confidence” within party rules”.
He insisted Labour was “going places” and “strong” under his leadership, despite one opinion poll yesterday showing the Tories had opened up an 11-point lead over Mr Corbyn’s party. There has been intolerance in the Labour Party and abuse in the Labour Party that we have never seen before.
“I don’t just think this has been bad for the Labour Party”.
“Women in Labour have found themselves subject to bad, awful misogynistic abuse”.
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Mr McGinn said that a Twitter account using the name Frank Ryan – which claims to have a close association with Mr Corbyn – subsequently posted that he was a “traitor” and no longer welcome in his home village of Camlough.
