REUTERS, Liverpool, England :
Jeremy Corbyn was re-elected leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party on Saturday and called for unity after ending a “coup” by more centrist members of parliament who say his left-wing agenda can never deliver victory at the polls.
The veteran campaigner’s triumph, by 313,209 to 193,229 votes, over challenger Owen Smith cements his authority over the divided party and will fuel a drive further left – a move many members of parliament say will see them out of power and allow the ruling Conservatives free rein over Britain’s divorce from the EU.
Welcoming the result which handed him a larger share of the vote than his first leadership victory last year, Corbyn called on members of parliament and members at the party’s annual conference in the northwestern city of Liverpool to come together
to fight the Conservative Party and bring “real change” to Britain. “Elections are passionate and often partisan affairs, things are sometimes said in the heat of the debate … which we sometimes later come to regret. Always remember in our party we have much more in common than that which divides us,” he said to roars from the crowd of largely his supporters.
“Let’s wipe that slate clean and get on with the work we have got to do as a party together,” he said, moving to ease fears that his re-election will widen the divide between the Labour Party’s left and centre-left wings and that he may trigger moves to force centrist members of parliament from the party.
Jeremy Corbyn was re-elected leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party on Saturday and called for unity after ending a “coup” by more centrist members of parliament who say his left-wing agenda can never deliver victory at the polls.
The veteran campaigner’s triumph, by 313,209 to 193,229 votes, over challenger Owen Smith cements his authority over the divided party and will fuel a drive further left – a move many members of parliament say will see them out of power and allow the ruling Conservatives free rein over Britain’s divorce from the EU.
Welcoming the result which handed him a larger share of the vote than his first leadership victory last year, Corbyn called on members of parliament and members at the party’s annual conference in the northwestern city of Liverpool to come together
to fight the Conservative Party and bring “real change” to Britain. “Elections are passionate and often partisan affairs, things are sometimes said in the heat of the debate … which we sometimes later come to regret. Always remember in our party we have much more in common than that which divides us,” he said to roars from the crowd of largely his supporters.
“Let’s wipe that slate clean and get on with the work we have got to do as a party together,” he said, moving to ease fears that his re-election will widen the divide between the Labour Party’s left and centre-left wings and that he may trigger moves to force centrist members of parliament from the party.
