Labour’s national executive committee this week ruled Mr Corbyn would be on the ballot paper for a future leadership election, even if he did not command sufficient support among MPs.
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Corbyn insisted his battle for survival is not stressing him out and brushed aside the leadership contest “as a little local difficulty which can be overcome”.
Brentford Labour member James Rosen added: “With Labour branch meetings suspended until after the leadership contest, grassroots Labour members will continue to meet as planned to support Jeremy Corbyn”.
Earlier this week, veteran Labour MP and shadow Welsh secretary Paul Flynn said it would be “very difficult” for Mr Corbyn to “find a way out”. Before Andrea Leadsom dropped out of the Tory race we were all set for a nine-week campaign.
A website giving non-members 48 hours to secure a vote in Labour’s leadership election by signing up as a registered supporter was hit by technical difficulties shortly after going live.
Smith, who announced his candidacy last week, is little-known among party supporters compared to Angela Eagle, but is the preferred choice to stand as the “unity” candidate, sources within the party have told Business Insider.
Smith, who only entered parliament in 2010 compared to Eagle’s arrival in 1992 and Corbyn’s in 1983, said: “I think we need the next generation of Labour men and women to step up and put our stamp on this party”.
Leadership rival Ms Eagle also slammed the current leadership and said that Labour was “as divided and disunited” as she can remember.
Lothians MSP Mr Findlay, who publicly defied Scottish leader Kezia Dugdale by undermining comments she made about Mr Corbyn, attacked MPs who took part in a mass resignation from the shadow cabinet.
“The fact that people are joining the Labour Party – we should be welcoming people with open arms, getting them involved and enthusing them to remain involved and I just think that kind of approach is the wrong message to give out”.
There is mounting speculation that Labour could split if Mr Corbyn clings on to power despite having been abandoned by most of his MPs.
To allow a three-horse race would risk splitting the vote, giving Mr Corbyn a better hope of retaining his leadership.
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The Labour leader said there would be “some quite intense discussions” about the policy over the next few days and that he was hopeful the changes would be overturned.
