He said: “If he continues to refuse to denounce those calling for a split, then members will think he is simply trying to scaremonger them to vote for him by his talking up of threats from a minority of MPs supporting his campaign who are plotting to split our party in Tory newspapers, while at the same time refusing to denounce them”.
Advertisement
Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn said he would force all United Kingdom companies with more than 250 staff to negotiate with a recognized union on their workers’ pay.
Mr Lewis – who is on the left of the party, nominated Mr Corbyn previous year, and was elected in 2015 – put Labour’s current difficulties down to a variety of factors, including inexperience.
Mr Corbyn, who is facing a leadership challenge from Owen Smith, blasted zero-hours contracts and record levels of poverty among those in work.
“I think mistakes have been made and it’s been hard because there just isn’t the experience there to be able to run an operation and hit the ground running”.
Joe Riches, a member of the Hull West and Hessle Constituency Labour Party and regional organiser for Mr Corbyn’s leadership campaign, said he was expecting a crowd of around 1,500 to greet the leader.
With the Smith camp seeing the city as a Corbyn stronghold, they want the move to underline the would-be leader’s aim to try to reunite the party around him.
In a wide-ranging speech, touching on mental health services, workers’ rights and homelessness, the Labour leader paid tribute to all those who supported the Hillsborough families and “braved the abuse, the nastiness, the horror of what the Murdoch press can do”.
He also insisted that the “idea I live in a remote bubble of adulation is complete rubbish”.
Today Dave Ward, general secretary, said Corbyn’s plans for working people would help transform the country.
The spat came as Mr Smith takes his battle to topple Mr Corbyn into “enemy territory” with a campaign push in Liverpool.
“If you’re going to be effective in politics you’ve got to listen to people, some of whom may not agree with you, some of whom may have criticisms, some of whom may have constructive suggestions for you”. “The best way to guarantee fair pay is through strengthening unions’ ability to bargain collectively”.
Advertisement
Mr Hedges said he did expect to see another Labour government if the issues of losing seats and voters are addressed.
