Talks of split overshadow duel for UK Labour leadership

Mr McDonnell, who is running Jeremy Corbyn’s campaign to retain Labour’s top job, accused Mr Smith of “flip-flopping” in the wake of reports some MPs meant to trigger a “semi-split” in the party. It followed a similar one in York last night and there’s another in Leeds this evening.

Current Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn can proceed onto the party’s leadership ballot without securing nominations from MPs, the court has ruled.

The controversial proposal for a “semi-split” would trigger a fresh wave of turmoil in Labour and would set the bulk of MPs against the many members who continue to support Corbyn despite concerns over competence.

Geraint Davies’s pledge followed a meeting of Swansea West Labour Party members, for the goal of making a supporting nomination in the Labour Leadership Contest.

In order to get re-elected, Corbyn needs to defeat former BBC producer Owen Smith, who was once Corbyn’s shadow work and pensions secretary.

Labour’s Great Grimsby constituency has nominated Owen Smith to be the next party leader.

With the Smith camp seeing the city as a Corbyn stronghold, they want the move to underline the would-be leader’s aim to try to reunite the party around him. “Since I became leader membership has doubled, activity has increased”.

“Momentum was always going to have fringe events and make a bit of a splash at conference”, a spokesperson said, “but the way we wanted to do it was mirroring our politics, so trying to bring in voices that won’t necessarily otherwise be heard”. “We’ve got to heal the party and we’ve got to come back together and get ready for government”.

“I do worry about there being a split – I say that very seriously”.

“If the party were to split, and I really, really hope it does not split, I think the Labour party would disappear in the way the Liberals disappeared”. While John, who previously referred to the Labour Party as just a “tactic”, has remained relaxed about the prospect of the party splitting.

“And it would be a total disaster for working people in this country if the Labour Party – the party that’s been on their side for a hundred years or more – were to split”.

He lost a motion of no confidence, and dozens of his frontbench team walked out, saying he could not win a general election.

Now a union seeking recognition must show that 10% of employees are members and 50% want them to lead on pay bargaining.