Mr Corbyn said while he had opened his door to colleagues, Labour MPs must recognise the “structure of the party has changed” and the parliamentary Labour party is “not the entirety of it”.
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Corbyn’s backers have argued that trying to replace him has diverted the party from directing its efforts at challenging the Conservative Party and holding the Government to account. Smith said ineffectual leadership by Corbyn and a lack of clarity in Labour’s message is to blame. We’ve got to heal the party or we’re going to lose and the Tories will benefit.
In its submission, the party said it had been a “hugely positive financial period” for Labour and said the “main driver” of the boost in its income was a “growth in donations from all sources: members, online supporters, affiliated unions and high value gifts”.
Despite directing stinging criticism at firms who avoid paying tax, official documents showed the party reduced their corporation tax bill to nothing by offsetting tax losses and other expenses.
“We are not behaving like comrades to each other in this party”, he said.
More than a quarter of people who have signed up as registered #Labour supporters in the run-up to the party’s leadership election could be barred from taking part, something some supporters of Jeremy Corbyn are anxious could skew the vote.
“And then came the resignations and the threat to the unity of the party”, he said.
Smith also accused Corbyn of presiding over a rise in anti-semitism in the party during his nine months as leader and not doing enough to tackle it. Smith said he is “ashamed” the Labour Party is being associated with racism against Jews.
The battle for control of the party has exposed long-standing fault lines in Labour over whether to position itself to the left or centre-left of British politics, and led to fears that it could even split.
The Pontypridd MP said: “Jeremy, I’m not having that because you know, you know Jeremy, that I wasn’t part of any coup in the Labour Party”.
“We say they have been wrongly excluded by breach of contract from the right to vote”.
“Labour will pledge to rebuild and transform Britain with a bold £500 billion programme of investment”.
– If you would like to support Labour members fighting for their right to vote in the upcoming leadership elections, you can do so here.
Corbyn’s supporters point to the surge in membership in the past year as proof that he is energising Labour.
“I think it is fair to assume that most of the astonishing number of members who have recently joined wish to vote for Corbyn”, she said.
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“Owen’s comprehensive policy platform is matched with an energy and enthusiasm that is now sorely lacking within our party’s leadership”.
