Challenger accuses Corbyn of ‘threatening to sack’ Labour MPs
LABOUR leadership contender Owen Smith has accused his rival Jeremy Corbyn of “threatening to sack” some of the party’s MPs after he emphasised the need for re-selection before the 2020 General Election.
The spat came as Mr Corbyn suggested there should be a snap General Election despite Labour being 11 points behind the Conservatives.
He told LBC radio that “of course” there should be an election because Theresa May had become Prime Minister “without a mandate” from the country and voters should not have to wait four years before going to the polls.
Launching his leadership campaign in London, Mr Corbyn stressed how there would have to be a “full and open selection process” in every UK seat because of a shake-up of constituency boundaries to reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600.
But this prospect has raised fears that if the Islington MP was to win the Labour crown again, it would begin a process of trying to oust his moderate colleagues.
Mr Smith, a former shadow work and pensions secretary, claimed Mr Corbyn was now willing to allow the party to split.
“It’s not much of an employer that says, you know, work for me and work harder or I’m going to sack you all – which is effectively what he’s doing today,” the MP for Pontypridd told the BBC. He added: “I don’t think he feels he can bring the party back together, that’s why he’s talking about re-selections because he is reconciled, he is fatalistic about the prospect of the party splitting apart and being destroyed. He just wants to control the Labour Party.”
However, Mr Corbyn’s aides insisted the party leader was setting out the existing rules.The current rules state that selections following boundary changes are only open to sitting MPs.
At his launch, Mr Corbyn said his leadership would focus on tackling “five ills of the 21st century”; inequality, neglect, insecurity, prejudice and discrimination. Highlighting his commitment to tackling workplace discrimination, he said that if he became Prime Minister, he would ensure all firms employing more than 21 staff would have to publish information about the pay, hours and grade of every job.
The Labour leader offered the “hand of friendship” to his rebellious MPs and suggested they had a “duty” to unite behind the leader once the contest was over.
Mr Corbyn is favourite to win the postal ballot of Labour’s members; the result will be known on September 24. It was suggested the 183,000 people who paid £25 and signed up as registered supporters were split 60/40 in his favour.