CORBYN PEACE OFFER TO MPs
LEADER’S 11th-HOUR SURVIVAL PLAN
JEREMY Corbyn will offer Labour MPs a peace deal to end the party’s civil war.
The underfire leader said: “I am r e ady to reach out .”
JEREMY Corbyn is to offer rebellious MPs a peace deal in a bid to end the civil war ripping Labour apart.
After a tumultuous week which saw the Labour leader under unprecedented pressure to quit, he threw down the olive branch in an exclusive article in today’s Sunday Mirror.
Mr Corbyn writes: “I am ready to reach out to Labour MPs who didn’t accept my election and oppose my leadership – and work with the whole party to provide the alternative the country needs.” The conciliatory tone is in marked contrast to a week in which Mr Corbyn would not even talk to Labour’s most senior figures.
Deputy leader Tom Watson has been unable to get a meeting with him, and a delegation including shadow home secretary Andy Burnham was rebuffed.
The Sunday Mirror understands Mr Corbyn intends to offer MPs greater influence over policy making.
He will also give them a say in shadow cabinet decisions. The peace plan is being thrashed out with advisers and will be presented to MPs this week.
Mr Corbyn will also talk to key opponents such as former shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn whose sacking sparked Labour’s crisis. Mr Corbyn hopes today’s move will stop a leadership challenge being mounted.
FIGHT
Former shadow business secretary Angela Eagle and ex-shadow work and pensions secretary Owen Smith are now in talks to decide which of them has the better chance of beating Mr Corbyn.
But Mr Corbyn signalled he was ready for a fight. He writes: “Those who want to challenge my leadership are free to do so in a democratic contest, in which I will be a candidate.” Mr Corbyn lost a vote of confidence last week when Labour MPs voted 172 – 40 to oust him, and 20 shadow cabinet ministers quit.
Mr Corbyn’s tone is an about turn to the bullish way aides were talking only days ago. “They can all resign if they want,” said one. “Jeremy and shadow chancellor John McDonnell would handle every brief going if it came to it.”