Share

Labour leadership: Jeremy Corbyn ‘not bothered’ by rivals’ criticism

Sky sources have said Ms Cooper’s own campaign is expected to get a significant boost from the backing of former PM Gordon Brown.

Advertisement

Writing in the Guardian, Mr Blair urged the party to reject Mr Corbyn, who leads opinion polls and has alarmed centrists with calls to renationalise some industries and withdraw from North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

Labour must be “radical” in providing an alternative to austerity, leadership candidate Yvette Cooper has said.

Mr Corbyn called for fair taxes for all, “let the broadest shoulders bear the biggest burden to balance the books”.

It will promise a commitment to “growth not austerity”, nationalising the railways and energy sector, action on climate change and a plan for nuclear disarmament.

Other policies in his Standing to Deliver document include ditching Trident, better funding for the NHS and an end to British involvement in “illegal” wars.

But whilst Labour moderates fret and try to work out how they got into this mess, the Corbyn campaign rolls on remorselessly with over 600 supporters packing his Edinburgh meeting, one of four he’s addressed in Scotland this week.

“I think we are seeing something quite exciting in politics”.

“The only thing that is going to come from us is engagement with ordinary people, policy ideas which I hope are interesting and exciting, and above all they are going to be very credible policy ideas”. “I believe I can still win this race”.

Supporters of Corbyn – whose wardrobe of battered jackets and pants contrasts with the smart suits more common at Westminster – say his unspun approach and lack of connections with figures like Blair give him a fresh voice at a time of deep public cynicism about politics.

“There’s a choice for voters to make, and it’s about two competing visions for the future of the party and the country”. What he is less clear about is the sort of attack he doesn’t like.

Oh yes, the victor of that other Labour contest – for the Scottish leadership – will be announced today.

He said: “The risk is Labour becomes internally focused rather than a united opposition”. Lots of people suffered while the Left kept their splendid principles. “I think it’s very hard”.

She has predicted the party could split if Mr Corbyn, who has emerged as the shock frontrunner to take control of Labour on September 12, won.

The polling was commissioned by the TSSA union and carried out this week, but Survation said it was completely independent and followed the same online methodology as on previous occasions when it has conducted polls on the Labour leadership for the Mail on Sunday.

A spokeswoman for Mr Corbyn said: “We do not usually comment on polls, but given the debate about who is best placed to win, it is worth noting the following”.

The paper wrote: “If Mr Corbyn is not to be regarded from the day of his election as an enemy of Britain’s Jewish community, he has a number of questions which he must answer in full and immediately”.

Advertisement

“The arguments being made by the neo-liberals in “New Labour” are that the party lost the election because it failed to attract “Middle England” Tory voters”.

Labour starts leadership vote with Corbyn in front