Labour’s membership has drastically expanded, to more than 500,000, since Corbyn swept to the leadership last autumn; but more than 80% of the party’s MPs recently declined to back him in a vote of no confidence, and many have resigned from the front bench, complaining about weak leadership.
Advertisement
New members, however, won’t be able to cast their ballot, as eligible voters need to have been in the Labour Party since before January 12.
“I am interested that he refers to the situation of some workers who might have some job insecurity and potentially unscrupulous bosses”, she told Corbyn.
The acrimonious exchange came as Mr Corbyn, whose team is confident he is heading for a second convincing victory among Labour members, launched his campaign to retain his leadership.
Immigration was a key part of the debate ahead of last month’s vote and new Prime Minister Theresa May said on Thursday that she was clear the government should and would deliver on the British people’s wish for control on free movement.
Following a speech in London, Corbyn said: ‘I say to Labour MPs quite simply this – I’ve been in Parliament a very long time. “I hope they will recognise that and come on board”.
“Labour’s, English Local Government election results outpolled the Tories and matched the high point achieved by Ed Miliband, five years ago. So something has gone badly wrong under his watch”.
She also told Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrats, a minority partner in a coalition government with the Conservatives between 2010 and 2015: “My party’s a little bit bigger than his”.
“I am disgusted that things like this are happening in a democratic country such as ours”.
He spoke out after Jeremy Corbyn angered MPs, who have called on him to stand down, by suggesting that they could be ousted in 2018.
A High Court claim brought by Labour donor Michael Foster, a former parliamentary candidate, is now against one named defendant – the party’s general secretary Iain McNicol, who is being sued in a representative capacity.
The former leadership contender, who stepped down to allow Owen Smith to take on Jeremy Corbyn, claims police advised her not to hold public sessions over security fears.
“If our economy is to thrive it needs to harness the talents of everyone”, Mr Corbyn will say.
“They are talking to me about future arrangements in terms of security”.
Women in Labour have found themselves subject to very bad, awful mysoginistic abuse. She said: “It’s all very well to condemn it but there’s a permissive environment”.
Mr Smith revealed that his mother was one of the party’s new registered supporters as he insisted they were not all going to back Mr Corbyn. I think he is fatalistic about the prospect of the party splitting apart and being destroyed.
Advertisement
Smith, who pitches himself as the candidate who can “save” the party, also faces criticism for his past as a lobbyist for the pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer and his support for the Iraq war.
