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Consumed by abuse, UK’s Labour faces deepening divisions with leadership contest

Members of trade unions affiliated to the Labour Party can sign up before August 8 as registered supporters and have a vote in the leadership contest.

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McCarthy resigned from her role as shadow environment secretary and joined the majority of Labour MPs in a vote of no confidence in their leader.

Mr Corbyn’s campaign team said several of the ideas had already been announced by Labour’s leadership in recent months.

He also said he hoped Labour MPs who have been “hostile” will be able to work together with him.

Geraint Davies’s pledge followed a meeting of Swansea West Labour Party members, for the objective of making a supporting nomination in the Labour Leadership Contest.

“Jeremy is a leader for the millions, not the millionaires, and the CWU is proud to support him”.

He told the BBC World at One programme: “Ultimately this is a members” election’.

“Our parliamentary democracy needs a leader who can unite the Labour movement in and outside parliament and I believe [Pontypridd MP] Owen Smith is best placed to do that job”.

Asked whether a Labour government under him might take BT back into public control to improve investment in broadband, Corbyn said this was not now a plan, but that he wanted to press the company on its “social obligation” with internet connections.

Responding to the intervention, Mr Smith said he would “not indulge in gossip”.

He called for unity in the Labour Party, adding he was determined to “take it to the Tories “.

Many of the CLPs who nominated Mr Corbyn this time either didn’t vote for any candidate in last year’s contest or had backed Andy Burnham or Yvette Cooper.

Those who want to depose the Labour leader are relying on a softening of support among longer-standing members.

There was a huge cheer including some screaming as Mr Corbyn appeared on top of the modified former fire engine which acted as the stage for the event. The plans also include a commitment to restore full collective bargaining powers and end pay freezes in the public sector, as well as the modernisation of union balloting, such as permitting e-balloting in order to increase participation. “No more are we going to go down that road, no more is that going to be the politics of our party”.

He said: “I think we’ve learned the lesson over the years we win elections by occupying the centre ground of British politics. the centre of gravity has shifted towards the Conservative party and we have to get it back”.

Jeremy Corbyn is expected to win the backing of the CWU.

“I say to them: “think on, and think again”.

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Formerly a branch of the National Union of Mineworkers, the banner group are critical of what they see as an orchestrated campaign to remove Mr Corbyn.

Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn arrives for a Communication Workers Union press conference in central London