AT the end of a bitter two-month fight Jeremy Corbyn has made an optimistic plea for unity after being re-elected Labour leader.
He defeated opponent Owen Smith and strengthened his mandate with a 61.8 per cent share of the 505,000 votes cast, up from the 59.5 per cent that first secured him the leadership last year.
The Islington North MP triumphed in all three parts of the electorate – full members, supporters from affiliated bodies such as unions, and registered supporters who paid £25 to vote.
The contest was triggered by a slew of shadow cabinet resignations and three-quarters of Corbyn’s MPs backing a no confidence vote in him over his perceived dithering on Brexit.
After accusations of online abuse, vandalism and anti-Semitism being directed and fears of a purge of Labour MPs and staff, Corbyn used his acceptance speech to urge the “Labour family” to come together and offered to “wipe the slate clean”.
Corbyn said the contest had been “passionate and often partisan”, with regrettable things said on both sides.
“Politics is demeaned and corroded by intimidation and abuse. It is not my way and it is not the Labour way and never will be.”
With Labour’s membership tripling to 650,000 since the 2015 election, he said it was not only the largest party in western Europe, but a winning “nationwide movement”.
Smith, who quit as shadow work and pensions secretary to run for leader, hinted at a return to the frontbench, saying he would “reflect carefully” on what role he could play in Labour’s future.
He dismissed talk of a breakaway party: “It's Labour or nothing for me.”
Len McCluskey, leader of Unite and one of Corbyn's key backers, said the party's MPs should listen to its members and stop the “sniping, plotting and corridor coups”.
Diane Abbott, another key Corbyn ally, said: “It's a resounding victory. It's a bigger margin than last time in the face of a nastier and more bitter campaign than last time and I hope that now the Parliamentary Labour party will settle down and unite behind the leader.”
Labour deputy leader Tom Watson said: “The most important thing is that both candidates said they want to bring the party back together, they want unity. I think we are looking at an early general election and that must now be our sole focus – taking on Theresa May and the Tories.”
A YouGov exit poll said Scotland was the only part of the UK to back Smith, giving him 58 per cent, however its relaibilty was in question as the Scottish sample was very just 51 people.
MSP Neil Findlay, chair of Corbyn’s Scottish campaign, said the figure was “meaningless”.
He said: “Our results were starkly different, they came in at 60-40 for Jeremy.”
Citing one of Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale’s arguments for supporting Smith, the SNP said the result meant “years of uninterrupted Tory rule”.
The party's business manager Derek Mackay said: “This is a party that is completely and irreparably divided from top to bottom – and this division is the greatest gift the Tories could ever ask for. ”
Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson said: “This result now leaves Scottish Labour hopelessly divided. At both Holyrood and Westminster, Labour is simply incapable of providing a strong opposition to anybody apart from itself.”
Scottish LibDem leader Willie Rennie MSP added: “The Labour Party has decided to abandon moderate, progressive voters in the UK.”
Patrick Harvie, co-convener of the Scottish Greens, said Corbyn’s re-election was a chance for “progressive forces” to unite against austerity.
“The Tories have been able to run amok at Westminster for too long now,” he said.
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