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Jeremy Corbyn apologises to Labour MPs for defeat 'for which I take responsibility' – live news Jeremy Corbyn apologises to Labour MPs for defeat 'for which I take responsibility' – live news
(32 minutes later)
Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including the parliamentary Labour party meeting for the first time since the general election Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments, including parliamentary Labour party meeting for first time since election
Jeremy Corbyn’s comments about being sorry and taking responsibility for Labour’s defeat are significant because, when he spoke at his election count in the early hours of Friday morning, and when he gave a TV interview later in the day, he expressed little contrition over what had happened. But Another Labour MP on his way out of the meeting says Corbyn’s leadership came up time and time again in the meeting. He said Margaret Beckett, who was acting leader after John Smith died, made a particularly noteworthy contribution, saying the leadership should not be worried about protecting its legacy when thinking about a new leader; what mattered was who would be best placed to win, she told the meeting.
In an open letter in the Sunday Mirror he said he was sorry for what happened at the election. But in a separate article for the Observer, he did not use the word “sorry” or “apologise”, and just said he regretted what had happened. The MP said several colleagues also said antisemitism had been a problem, and had to be addressed.
He acknowledged that some MPs spoke out in support of Corbyn. But, referring to MPs like Claudia Webbe (see 7.15pm), he said people just elected in safe seats were not best placed to understand the party’s problems.
That’s all from me for tonight. My colleague Kevin Rawlinson is taking over now.
“Well cheerful,” says an MP, ironically, commenting on the mood at PLP on the way out - but then she adds: “It’s no better or worse than it always is.”
Earlier one member of the PLP was complaining about the leader’s office not being in touch with MPs who lost their seats. See 6.53pm.Channel 4 News has had an interview with Mary Creagh, who has been making the same complaint.
Creagh lost her seat last week.
Another MP mutters “madness, pure madness” as he walks past journalists after leaving the PLP meeting.
On the way out one long-serving MP tells journalists that the meeting consisted of “dreary contributions from the leadership and absolutely no acknowledgment of what went wrong”.
More from Paul Waugh
Jeremy Corbyn’s comments about being sorry and taking responsibility for Labour’s defeat are significant because, when he spoke at his election count in the early hours of Friday morning, and when he gave a TV interview later in the day, he expressed little contrition over what had happened.
But in an open letter in the Sunday Mirror at the weekend he did say he was sorry about the result. However, in a separate article for the Observer, he did not use the word “sorry” or “apologise”, and just said he regretted what had happened.
These are from my colleague Kate Proctor.These are from my colleague Kate Proctor.
I didn’t see the Labour peer Stewart Wood go in for the PLP meeting (it’s for peers as well as MPs), but here are his thoughts, in an article for HuffPost, on what Labour needs to do to recover. Wood worked as an adviser to Gordon Brown when he was PM, and then as an adviser to Ed Miliband.I didn’t see the Labour peer Stewart Wood go in for the PLP meeting (it’s for peers as well as MPs), but here are his thoughts, in an article for HuffPost, on what Labour needs to do to recover. Wood worked as an adviser to Gordon Brown when he was PM, and then as an adviser to Ed Miliband.
The door opens as a peer leaves the room. While it’s open we can hear a woman (I did not recognise her voice) say:The door opens as a peer leaves the room. While it’s open we can hear a woman (I did not recognise her voice) say:
We have heard quite a few complaints in recent days that Corbyn’s office has not been in touch with MPs who lost their seats.We have heard quite a few complaints in recent days that Corbyn’s office has not been in touch with MPs who lost their seats.
When she finished she got a round of applause.When she finished she got a round of applause.
More from HuffPost’s Paul Waugh, who is ahead of everyone else when it comes to getting updates from inside the room.
In some non-Labour news, the Conservatives have announced their long-promised review into discrimination in the party. As expected, it does not focus just on Islamophobia, even though during the leadership contest Boris Johnson appeared to sign up to the idea of an Islamophobia-specific inquiry when Sajid Javid bounced him and other candidates into agreeing to the proposal during a TV debate.
Here is an extract from the Conservative party news release.
Good use of the word “smattering” here from Paul Waugh ...
There was some applause for Lavery, but it was relatively short and half-hearted.
From my colleague Kate Proctor
She’s right. It is Ian Lavery speaking. I am on a bench on the other side of the corridor (colleagues are nearer the door), but even from here I can tell it’s Lavery. But I can’t make out what he’s saying.
That seems a good excuse, while we wait, to flag up this recording of Neil Kinnock telling a PLP meeting in 2016 why he thought Jeremy Corbyn should go. This story contains the text of what he said, plus audio.