“Are there 500,000 entryists into the Labour Party?”
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Corbyn divides opinion sharply.
Labour chief whip Rosie Winterton wrote to Mr McCluskey on Friday night to say she was looking forward to the talks, only for Mr Watson to announce the following morning that they would not be going ahead. I know [deputy leader] Tom Watson has worked tirelessly in a bid to reach agreement and respect his view that he can not take this process any further.
It looks increasingly like a political battle to the death, with no room for compromise.
If Mr Corbyn is automatically on the ballot, the support in the party’s grassroots which swept him to victory in 2015 could do so again – leaving his opponents facing an even deeper problem.
The former shadow work and pensions secretary Owen Smith has made it clear to colleagues that he is ready to challenge the leader.
Though the government has ruled out any prospect of a general election before one is scheduled in 2020, Eagle and her supporters appear convinced that one is likely.
Arguing he had been given a large mandate by Labour members, Mr Corbyn added: “I think we are a party that’s going places and doing very well”.
The Conservative’s 150,000 members will vote by September 9 on which of two candidates, interior minister Theresa May or junior energy minister Andrea Leadsom, should replace him as party leader and prime minister.
“I remain extremely concerned that a small number of people from both the left and right of our party seem intent on letting it split”.
As for uniting the party, Corbyn has clearly lost his chance.
Labour former acting leader Harriet Harman said Mr Corbyn “has to have the continued support” of MPs and can not say “I’ve got the right to carry on come what may”.
The latter is particularly sensitive in a week when the Chilcot report found that the United Kingdom government had gone to war too soon, without exhausting other options to address the issue of weapons of mass destruction.
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “I don’t think people will think, if Angela Eagle wins a contest for leadership without Jeremy Corbyn being on the ballot paper, that’s fair”. Eagle has been careful not to directly press for such a move but, given a vague wording in the party rules, it’s a distinct possibility.
Abbott said it would be “a travesty in terms of natural justice and fairness” if the party tried to keep Corbyn off the ballot. Soundings suggest that he would find it hard to garner that sort of support among members of parliament.
Ms Eagle is facing a vote of no confidence by members of her local party, which backs Mr Corbyn’s leadership.
Britain’s opposition Labour Party is set for a bitter leadership battle after leader Jeremy Corbyn said he expected to be automatically on the ballot and would challenge any attempt to prevent him from entering the contest.
“I would ask her to think for a moment”, he said.
The Labour Party leader, however, continues to stand his ground, as evidenced in the interview below.
But most are thought to be planning to vote for Mr Corbyn.
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Another added: “Katie Hopkins admires Jeremy Corbyn – probably the worst endorsement anyone could ever receive”.
