Labour’s frontbench rule out cutting a deal with the Lib Dems to avoid electoral oblivion under hapless leader Jeremy Corbyn
Following a damning report by the Labour backing Fabian Society that predicted the party would be reduced to a rump of under 100 seats, Shadow Housing Minister John Healey rejected calls for pacts
LABOUR’S frontbench have ruled out cutting a deal with the Lib Dems to avoid electoral oblivion under hapless leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Following a damning report by the Labour backing Fabian Society that predicted the party would be reduced to a rump of under 100 seats, Shadow Housing Minister John Healey rejected calls for pacts with any other party.
The think-tank suggested that as winning the next election was “completely unthinkable” Labour should instead seek the “far more plausible goal” getting into power through an agreement with other centre-left parties.
But Mr Healey hit out: “These are big challenges for Labour but I do not see the answer to Labour’s challenge as being to team up with the Liberal Democrats and the Greens and a rag-bag of other parties.”
Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats hit back that no deal could be on the cards “until Labour take a clear and unequivocally pro-EU stance.”
The dismissal came as Labour’s Deputy Leader has admitted he has been frozen out by party chief Jeremy Corbyn since last summer’s attempt to dethrone the veteran socialist.
Tom Watson was asked by former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell in an interview for GQ magazine how often he discussed the party’s master plan with the leader.
Mr Watson replied: “I am not on his strategy committee.”
RELATED STORIES
Mr Campbell then asked, “Who is then?” to which Mr Watson said, “I don’t know”.
Mr Watson also claimed that Mr Corbyn would lead Labour at the next general election and all further attempts to get rid of him would be doomed.
When asked by Mr Campbell if that was a “good thing or a bad thing”, he replied: “It doesn’t matter, that is the situation.”
Mr Watson led failed negotiations to broker a peace deal between Mr Corbyn and the bulk of the parliamentary party opposed to him after a mass shadow cabinet walkout in June last year.
The pair are believed to have a strained relationship.