He received a boost from the Communication Workers Union which chose to back Mr Corbyn in the Labour leadership contest.
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So far, of the 72 nominations, 57 have backed Mr Corbyn while only 15 supported Mr Smith.
Jeremy Corbyn supporters in the South West have welcomed a high court decision to protect his place in the Labour leadership contest.
What’s the truth of the matter?
(You can see Smith’s policy list in full here).
“I suspect he understands them in himself much more, whereas Jeremy Corbyn comes from a much more metropolitan background, more internationalist”, said the entrepreneur. On Saturday afternoon over 3,000 Corbyn supporters came together to hear him speak in Hull – the biggest political rally in the town in decades.
He also called for an above-inflation pay rise for public sector workers in last year’s campaign.
The Labour leader pledged to ban zero-hours contracts, increase the living wage and repeal the Trade Union Act, which limits strike powers.
Prior to the rally during an interview with the ECHO Mr Corbyn appeared unfazed by the challenge to his leadership and said he was enjoying the return to the city where exactly a year ago he filled the Adelphi Hotel.
John McDonnell, chairman of Corbyn’s campaign, said Smith must do more to denounce those seeking a split or risk becoming the “disunity candidate”.
The shadow Chancellor added that if Mr Smith continues “to refuse to denounce those calling for a split” then Labour party members “will think he is simply trying to scaremonger them”. It is this combination – credibility and passion – that I believe we need in a Labour Leader.
“The youngest member of my office, she just picked up the phone and a man who said he supported Jeremy told her she’s a “Blairite bitch”.
Mr Corbyn’s Northern Future paper hints heavily at more investment in the north of England – without mentioning a number – and he has said funding for the northern high-speed rail link HS3 should be confirmed before London’s Crossrail project.
But his rival Owen Smith, who was campaigning in Liverpool, has warned there is a “very real danger” of Labour breaking up – describing such an event as a “total disaster for working people”.
Every significant move Corbyn has made as leader has been to oppose any struggle against the right, in defiance of the strivings of those who elected him last September to do so.
What else does Owen Smith stand for?
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CWU general secretary Dave Ward today said: ‘We need a fundamental change in Labour politics and Jeremy Corbyn recognises this’.
