Labour ready to rule now, says Corbyn

LABOUR IS ready for another election after June’s vote “changed politics in this country”, Jeremy Corbyn has declared.

The Labour leader said his party now represented “the mainstream” of British politics with the Government in “disarray”.

Before the party’s conference, Mr Corbyn gave details of Labour’s preparations for an election – including plans to target top Tories including Amber Rudd, Boris Johnson and Iain Duncan Smith.

Labour gained 30 seats in the June general election, closing the gap on the Tories to 56 as Theresa May lost her overall majority.

But the Labour leader – whose position is secure as the party prepares to gather for its Brighton conference – said he was ready to take on the Tories again, with key figures in his sights.

He said: “The election has changed politics in this country. We are now the mainstream.”

Vowing to “challenge the Tories at every step” he added: “It is a government that is in disarray. We will keep up pressure in Parliament.” COUNCILLORS COULD reverse a decision to allow fewer firefighters to travel to incidents in North Yorkshire.

The North Yorkshire Fire Authority has authorised new tactical response vehicles, which are smaller than standard fire engines, to be crewed by two or three firefighters.

But Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake this week joined those who were criticising the move arguing lives could be put at risk because four fighters are required to be present before a burning building can be entered.

His intervention appears to have persuaded the Conservativerun authority to look again at the issue at a future meeting.

Coun Danny Myers, Labour group leader on the fire authority, said: “This will put a halt to the ridiculous situation which currently sees fire engines with not enough staff to mobilise breathing apparatus equipment attending house fires.

“Cuts have consequences for communities and whilst we have managed to defend the level of fire cover at York, it is crucial that we defeat the cuts elsewhere in the county before they are attempted in York.

“I’d like to thank the firefighters for their public service and ongoing commitment to keeping the public safe, and also those people across North Yorkshire who have been raising concerns about these fire cuts from the start.”

The Fire Brigades Union also welcomed the review.