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| Jeremy Corbyn tells Pride heckler 'I did all I could' to campaign against Brexit | Jeremy Corbyn tells Pride heckler 'I did all I could' to campaign against Brexit |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Jeremy Corbyn has defended Labour’s campaigning in the EU referendum, telling a heckler at London’s Pride festival “I did all I could” in a public defence of his role in the remain campaign. | |
| Related: Brexit: Britain's most senior EU official resigns after UK vote to leave – live | Related: Brexit: Britain's most senior EU official resigns after UK vote to leave – live |
| The Labour leader was confronted by protesters as he arrived at the march after giving a speech on the effects of Brexit on Saturday morning. He was accused by Tom Mauchline, who posted a video of the exchange on Twitter, of failing to get enough traditional Labour voters to polling stations on Thursday. | The Labour leader was confronted by protesters as he arrived at the march after giving a speech on the effects of Brexit on Saturday morning. He was accused by Tom Mauchline, who posted a video of the exchange on Twitter, of failing to get enough traditional Labour voters to polling stations on Thursday. |
| He said: “It’s your fault Jeremy. I had a Polish friend in tears because you couldn’t get the vote out in Wales, the north and the Midlands.” Corbyn could be heard responding in the second of three videos posted on Twitter, saying: “I did all I could.” | He said: “It’s your fault Jeremy. I had a Polish friend in tears because you couldn’t get the vote out in Wales, the north and the Midlands.” Corbyn could be heard responding in the second of three videos posted on Twitter, saying: “I did all I could.” |
| Mauchline went on to say: “You ran on a platform of mobilising the north and working class votes, and you’ve failed considerably. Stop using the gay movement as a shield to protect your weak leadership.” | Mauchline went on to say: “You ran on a platform of mobilising the north and working class votes, and you’ve failed considerably. Stop using the gay movement as a shield to protect your weak leadership.” |
| Corbyn had earlier said he would face down any challenge to his leadership from his own MPs as he outlined Labour’s response to Britain’s vote to leave the EU. Allies of the Labour leader said the confrontation at Pride had been staged by anti-Corbyn activists who were attempting to undermine Corbyn’s position. | |
| At a hastily convened event in London, Corbyn was cheered by an audience of activists as he cited a petition calling on him to remain in his post. | |
| “Yes, there are some people in the Labour party, and the parliamentary Labour party in particular, who probably want someone else to be the leader of the Labour party - I think they’ve made that abundantly clear,” he said. | “Yes, there are some people in the Labour party, and the parliamentary Labour party in particular, who probably want someone else to be the leader of the Labour party - I think they’ve made that abundantly clear,” he said. |
| “What I’m totally amazed by is that 140,000 people have said they do not want the party to spend the next two months debating the leadership of the party; they want the party to get on the front foot, and get out there.” | |
| Two backbench MPs, Margaret Hodge and Ann Coffey, tabled a vote of no-confidence in Corbyn on Friday in the aftermath of the shock referendum result, blaming what they saw as his lacklustre campaign for a remain vote. | |
| But asked if he would run again should there be a leadership contest, given the vocal criticism from within his own parliamentary party, Corbyn said simply – to loud applause - “Yes, I’m here.” | |
| Many Labour MPs, who overwhelmingly backed Britain staying in the EU, were stunned by the fact that the electorate backed Brexit 52% to 48%, in the face of a vocal cross-party campaign, and felt the leadership’s sometimes lukewarm support for Europe was partly to blame. | Many Labour MPs, who overwhelmingly backed Britain staying in the EU, were stunned by the fact that the electorate backed Brexit 52% to 48%, in the face of a vocal cross-party campaign, and felt the leadership’s sometimes lukewarm support for Europe was partly to blame. |
| Chris Leslie, former shadow chancellor and a longtime critic of Corbyn, said: “Labour must have leadership that not only reaches out to new supporters, but that can also mobilise our core base, and sadly the current leadership has proved unable to do that in this referendum.” | Chris Leslie, former shadow chancellor and a longtime critic of Corbyn, said: “Labour must have leadership that not only reaches out to new supporters, but that can also mobilise our core base, and sadly the current leadership has proved unable to do that in this referendum.” |
| But Corbyn’s allies believe his “remain and reform” message was closer to the instincts of the public than that of many other mainstream politicians. They also hope he can capitalise on the anti-establishment mood. | But Corbyn’s allies believe his “remain and reform” message was closer to the instincts of the public than that of many other mainstream politicians. They also hope he can capitalise on the anti-establishment mood. |
| “I ran a campaign which travelled the length and breadth of this country,” Corbyn said, insisting that while he had “pointed out there were difficulties with the EU” he had also warned of the risks to jobs, rights and the environment of a vote to leave. | “I ran a campaign which travelled the length and breadth of this country,” Corbyn said, insisting that while he had “pointed out there were difficulties with the EU” he had also warned of the risks to jobs, rights and the environment of a vote to leave. |
| If the motion of no-confidence is accepted by John Cryer, the chair of the parliamentary Labour party, it will result in a secret ballot among MPs. The ballot is not binding, although defeat would be embarrassing for Corbyn. | |
| Corbyn’s supporters insist he has no intention of stepping down even if it shows that only a minority back him, as was the case in last autumn’s leadership election. | Corbyn’s supporters insist he has no intention of stepping down even if it shows that only a minority back him, as was the case in last autumn’s leadership election. |
| His team also believe that even if his critics managed to mount a formal leadership challenge, Corbyn would easily win any ensuing vote of party members. | His team also believe that even if his critics managed to mount a formal leadership challenge, Corbyn would easily win any ensuing vote of party members. |
| Corbyn said it was time to open a “national conversation” about what immigration policy should be in a post-EU Britain, and the party would review its policy, led by the shadow home secretary, Andy Burnham. | Corbyn said it was time to open a “national conversation” about what immigration policy should be in a post-EU Britain, and the party would review its policy, led by the shadow home secretary, Andy Burnham. |
| But he insisted migrants made a positive contribution to Britain, and should be welcomed – adding that Thursday’s vote resulted partly from economic deprivation in many post-industrial areas of the country. | But he insisted migrants made a positive contribution to Britain, and should be welcomed – adding that Thursday’s vote resulted partly from economic deprivation in many post-industrial areas of the country. |
| “There’s many parts of Britain where there’s a feeling of powerlessness; communities that feel abandoned, from the mining industry’s destruction onwards,” he said. “A Sports Direct warehouse on the site of the former mine says it all about the industrial strategy of modern Britain.” | “There’s many parts of Britain where there’s a feeling of powerlessness; communities that feel abandoned, from the mining industry’s destruction onwards,” he said. “A Sports Direct warehouse on the site of the former mine says it all about the industrial strategy of modern Britain.” |
| He added: “We can’t duck the conversation about immigration; we need to have an open and rational conversation. But we can’t talk about immigration as separate from its economic and social context.” | He added: “We can’t duck the conversation about immigration; we need to have an open and rational conversation. But we can’t talk about immigration as separate from its economic and social context.” |
| Some senior Labour MPs, including Corbyn’s deputy, Tom Watson, had suggested during the bitter referendum campaign that there should be limits on the free movement of people - a founding principle of the EU. | Some senior Labour MPs, including Corbyn’s deputy, Tom Watson, had suggested during the bitter referendum campaign that there should be limits on the free movement of people - a founding principle of the EU. |