Latest news from Labour conference after Keir Starmer wins vote on party reforms to require leadership candidates to have backing of 20% of MPs
- Labour leadership rule changes pass after last-minute Unison backing
- ‘Done his duty’: Keir Starmer pleases supporters with rule changes
- Labour to scrap business rates if elected, says shadow chancellor
This morning the Today programme also broadcast an interview with Jeremy Corbyn recorded yesterday. Asked if he agreed with John McDonnell when he said the current Labour leader was acting like a Blairite tribute band, Corbyn made it clear he did. He replied:
Well, John has a way with words, he really does. I admire him. And I love the way he described the essay written by our leader as the Sermon on the Mount written by a focus group.
She has a way with words and she’s right to be really strong in opposing what this government has done. I am alarmed at the levels of poverty and inequality in our society, and I’m horrified at the way in which racist attitudes are promoted against refugees and asylum seekers. History is not going to judge well in 50 years’, 100 years’ time, those that turned desperate refugees away.
The voting figures published by Labour show that Sir Keir Starmer only won the vote on the party leadership election rule changes with union backing. In some respects that is a reversion to Labour’s past, when the leadership regularly used to rely on rightwing unions to outvote leftwing activists, although that is not a description of how the party is generally operating at the moment.
In the card vote on this rule change, the constituency Labour parties (CLPs) were 52.86% against and 47.14% in favour. But the affiliates (mostly the unions) were 60.2% in favour, and 39.8% against.