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| Labour leadership: Corbyn and Smith in first debate clash | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Jeremy Corbyn and Owen Smith are going head-to-head in the first hustings of the Labour leadership campaign. | |
| Mr Smith, ex-work and pensions spokesman, is challenging Mr Corbyn for Labour's top job, after the leader lost a no confidence vote of his MPs. | Mr Smith, ex-work and pensions spokesman, is challenging Mr Corbyn for Labour's top job, after the leader lost a no confidence vote of his MPs. |
| Mr Corbyn has rejected calls to resign and urged the party to unite. Mr Smith says only he can heal the divisions. | Mr Corbyn has rejected calls to resign and urged the party to unite. Mr Smith says only he can heal the divisions. |
| The debate in Cardiff is one of a series planned across the UK during the contest, which ends on 24 September. | The debate in Cardiff is one of a series planned across the UK during the contest, which ends on 24 September. |
| Mr Smith has called for more head-to-head hustings with Mr Corbyn, saying: "I want to debate with Jeremy in every town, every village hall, every city in Britain." | Mr Smith has called for more head-to-head hustings with Mr Corbyn, saying: "I want to debate with Jeremy in every town, every village hall, every city in Britain." |
| Thursday's debate, between 19:00 and 21:00 BST, will be moderated by Catrin Haf Jones, from ITV Cymru Wales is being streamed on the Labour Party website. | |
| BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said with seven weeks of the contest to run, it will be an important test for both contenders. | BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said with seven weeks of the contest to run, it will be an important test for both contenders. |
| It comes as Mr Corbyn played down suggestions the party could split if he is re-elected as leader, after Mr Smith warned in a Guardian interview that Labour was "teetering on the edge of a precipice". | It comes as Mr Corbyn played down suggestions the party could split if he is re-elected as leader, after Mr Smith warned in a Guardian interview that Labour was "teetering on the edge of a precipice". |
| Mr Smith - whose pitch at the hustings will be that he can unite Labour and turn it into what he calls "a radical government in waiting" - said Labour "could be bust apart and disappear" after 116 years. | Mr Smith - whose pitch at the hustings will be that he can unite Labour and turn it into what he calls "a radical government in waiting" - said Labour "could be bust apart and disappear" after 116 years. |
| But Mr Corbyn said: "I'm sure no Labour MP would dream of walking away from the family of the Labour Party... that helped to put them into Parliament in order to represent Labour views and Labour values." | But Mr Corbyn said: "I'm sure no Labour MP would dream of walking away from the family of the Labour Party... that helped to put them into Parliament in order to represent Labour views and Labour values." |
| And shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who is running Mr Corbyn's re-election campaign, told BBC Radio 4's Today that Mr Smith should "denounce" supporters "who are trying to split the party" and pledge to serve under Mr Corbyn if he wins the contest. | And shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who is running Mr Corbyn's re-election campaign, told BBC Radio 4's Today that Mr Smith should "denounce" supporters "who are trying to split the party" and pledge to serve under Mr Corbyn if he wins the contest. |
| Debate schedule | Debate schedule |
| Earlier, Mr Corbyn outlined 10 pledges "to rebuild and transform Britain" in a speech in Dagenham, east London, as part of his pitch to remain Labour leader. | Earlier, Mr Corbyn outlined 10 pledges "to rebuild and transform Britain" in a speech in Dagenham, east London, as part of his pitch to remain Labour leader. |
| He said he saw the policies - which included promises to create full employment and end private-sector involvement in the NHS - as "preparation for a general election", which he insisted Labour could win under his leadership. | He said he saw the policies - which included promises to create full employment and end private-sector involvement in the NHS - as "preparation for a general election", which he insisted Labour could win under his leadership. |
| 'New politics' | 'New politics' |
| The challenge against Mr Corbyn - who won a landslide victory to become Labour leader last year - was triggered, following the EU referendum campaign, by Labour MPs unhappy with his performance. | The challenge against Mr Corbyn - who won a landslide victory to become Labour leader last year - was triggered, following the EU referendum campaign, by Labour MPs unhappy with his performance. |
| Many felt Mr Corbyn had not shown enough enthusiasm and leadership for the Remain campaign. | Many felt Mr Corbyn had not shown enough enthusiasm and leadership for the Remain campaign. |
| Dozens of his frontbench team walked out and Labour MPs backed a motion of no-confidence in his leadership by 172 to 40, saying he could not win a general election. | Dozens of his frontbench team walked out and Labour MPs backed a motion of no-confidence in his leadership by 172 to 40, saying he could not win a general election. |
| But Mr Corbyn says he was democratically elected "for a new kind of politics by 60% of Labour members and supporters" and that he will "not betray them" by resigning. | But Mr Corbyn says he was democratically elected "for a new kind of politics by 60% of Labour members and supporters" and that he will "not betray them" by resigning. |
| He enjoys strong support from many Labour Party members and has the backing of various unions, including the Communication Workers Union, train drivers' Aslef and construction workers' Ucatt. | He enjoys strong support from many Labour Party members and has the backing of various unions, including the Communication Workers Union, train drivers' Aslef and construction workers' Ucatt. |
| The result of the two-way contest is due to be announced at a special Labour conference on 24 September. | The result of the two-way contest is due to be announced at a special Labour conference on 24 September. |
| Labour leadership election timetable | Labour leadership election timetable |