JEREMY Corbyn is likely to face a single challenger for the Labour leadership after his two rivals held talks about the best way to oust him – but a poll of party members suggested he would still win.
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UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will only need to challenge former shadow work and pensions secretary Owen Smith to preserve his position as the opposition leader, following Angela Eagle’s decision to drop out of the race.
The Labour leader did offer a “hand of friendship” to the Labour MPs who backed a vote of no confidence against him last month, though, and praised the “talent” throughout the party ranks.
Ms Eagle said a “permissive” environment had been allowed to develop where MPs opposed to Mr Corbyn faced abuse. “And I appeal to them to work together”, he said.
However, Mr Corbyn’s promise of an “open selection process” indicates that it will be opened up to other Labour members.
But with strong grassroots support, Corbyn will stand against Smith in a vote among party activists and supporters, with a result due on September 24.
Speaking in Manchester on his first campaign visit today, Mr Smith was set to say: “The Labour Party is Britain’s greatest force for social justice, but we could be consigned to history if we continue along this path to a disastrous split”. She told the Daily Telegraph: “I think he has contributed to this”.
Pontypridd MP Mr Smith also said that voters in Labour heartlands had lost faith and hope in Labour because of Mr Corbyn’s leadership and failure to speak powerfully for the party at Westminster.
“In the last 48 hours, more people have registered as Labour supporters than the entire membership of the Tory Party”.
“It’s now become commonplace in the Labour party, so something has gone badly wrong under his watch”. There are many people who could probably spare £25 for someone who needs it much more than they do.
In the speech’s only major policy proposal, Corbyn pledged that the next Labour government would require all companies with more than 21 employees to publish a full equal pay audit.
Indeed, Mr Smith, now the standard bearer of those wishing to depose Mr Corbyn, seems to…
Voting in the ballot for the election of the party leader is restricted to Labour Party members and affiliated supporters who joined through their trade union.
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“And he came to see me to say he was very happy in the shadow cabinet and he wanted to stay there and then left the meeting and resigned which was a slightly odd thing to do…”
