Divisive Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has published a ‘digital democracy manifesto’ which aims to address concerns regarding the growth of a societal gulf between technological haves and have-nots in the UK.
Advertisement
Despite local support, Smith is facing an uphill battle to oust the sitting Labour leader who won an overwhelming victory less than a year ago.
Pontypridd MP Mr Smith is in line to pick up 38% of the vote, according to a YouGov survey for The Times of those entitled to vote in the election.
Mr Corbyn received just under 60 per cent of the vote when he was elected leader in September 2015 – although there were more candidates involved.
In that poll Corbyn received 59 percent of the vote, winning around 250,000 votes, way ahead of runner-up Andy Burnham who received 80,000 votes.
The document, produced by radical left-wing outlet Novara Media, has been created in response to allegations that Labour’s chief administrative body, the NEC, is quietly banning Corbyn supporters – dubbed “Corbynistas” – from voting in the leadership contest.
The author hit out after mounting evidence of Corbyn supporters seeking to link the two bearded gentlemen.
The group are backing Owen Smith to replace him in the current leadership contest, saying Mr Corbyn needs to be replaced before it is too late.
According to Yougov, Smith is backed by 68 per cent of members who joined Labour before May previous year, but just 28 per cent of those joining between May and September, and 14 per cent of those signing up after September.
With longstanding supporters Corbyn does not have the same level of support, but the huge number of new members easily cancels out this discrepancy.
Mr Corbyn’s manifesto also includes plans for a free-to-use online hub of learning resources called the Open Knowledge Library, a requirement that all publicly funded software is released under an Open Source licence, and a “People’s Charter of Digital Liberty Rights”.
Inevitably, this has led many commentators to discuss the possibility of a centre-left breakaway, with 39 per cent of those polled expecting the party to split after the leadership election.
Advertisement
“Nevertheless, Team Corbyn will be pleased by the security afforded by the double digit lead they are now sitting on”, concluded YouGov.
