Ms Eagle, who launched her leadership bid last week, said it is “too early” to talk about the issue and joked: “We are not going to do a deal here on your sofa, handsome though it is”.
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“But my view is whoever is the person who commands the largest degree of support in the PLP is the unity candidate, and that’s the person who should go forward and take Jeremy on”. She came up with this brilliant line.
The Labour party has been engulfed by a fresh bout of infighting as the camps of the two potential “unity candidates” set to fight Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership embarked on their own war of words. I’ve always felt it is the Labour Party or nothing for me.
He said: “I think that would be very tempting for the Labour Party as we are a party that believes in being in the EU”.
Since she announced her intention to run against Mr Corbyn, Ms Eagle has drawn vitriolic responses from some Corbyn supporters.
“I grew up in a working class family, my mom was a seamstress, my dad was a printer, and I was the first in the family ever to go to university”.
And Mr Kinnock said: “Any suggestion that we discussed political alliances or the creation of new parties is categorically wrong”.
Mr Smith, speaking in his Pontypridd constituency, said: “We have a wider gap between the haves and have nots in this country than any of us have known in our lifetimes and it is for the Labour Party, our party, to fight to reduce that gap”. I don’t know whether arrangements can be made if he does win for that to happen.
She said it is “too early” to talk about the issue and told the show’s host “we are not going to do a deal here on your sofa”.
But Mr Findlay said: “I have great admiration for Angela Raynor because she stepped up to the plate and served, unlike some others who deserted and I think it’s great credit to people like that”.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said it would not be appropriate to have an all-male battle for the top job as he dismissed claims the party was in chaos. Owen Smith has benefited – from where the membership is – by having a less confrontational role, but I hope fortune favours the courageous.
“I’ve been a member of the Labour Party for 45 years, I intend to die in the Labour Party but not for many years yet and we are passionate about the values and beliefs of our party and we are staying”.
Labour said the website had experienced “high levels of traffic”, but encouraged would-be supporters to try again.
“People are able to register and are now doing so in high numbers”.
Meanwhile, the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) is braced for a potential challenge over new rules for the leadership contest.
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When their branch meeting scheduled for Wednesday (July 13) was cancelled with just four hours notice, some 40 Corbyn backers instead headed to the Coach and Horses pub in Isleworth for an unofficial get-together.
