MP IS BRANDED ‘BITTER’ FOR CRITICISING CORBYN

DEEP divisions in the Labour party arose again yesterday after a prominent Left-winger described a moderate MP as a ‘sad, lonely, bitter man’.

Chris Leslie – a long-time Jeremy Corbyn critic – claimed the election result had not been good enough, provoking party colleague Clive Lewis to say he should ‘have a bit of respect’.

Mr Leslie, a former shadow chancellor, said the Labour leader had missed an ‘open goal’ by failing to win the election. He said at the weekend: ‘We shouldn’t pretend that this is a famous victory. It’s good as far as it’s gone, but it’s not going to be good enough.’ But Mr Lewis told BBC Radio 5 Live that Mr Leslie’s negative comments showed he was ‘isolated’ within the parliamentary Labour party – and said he should ‘get behind the leadership’.

Describing the election as a ‘fantastic result’, Mr Lewis added: ‘I think Chris Leslie is a sad, lonely, bitter man.’

The row shows that, despite the talk of a new unity since Mr Corbyn’s unexpected election success, simmering tensions remain and civil war could still erupt between the factions.