Jeremy Corbyn will stay on as Labour leader until end of March despite election humiliation
LABOUR leader Jeremy Corbyn will stay on until the end of March next year despite suffering election humiliation.
General Secretary Jennie Formby confirmed the party’s leadership contest will not even begin until the New Year.
It comes as the far-left boss refused to apologise for Labour’s worst election result since 1935 and astonishingly claimed his party had ‘won the argument’ with its defeated manifesto.
In an e-mail to colleagues, Formby wrote: “Jeremy has asked that the NEC (National Executive Committee) start the process swiftly so a new leader may be elected by the end of March.”
It means Corbyn will continue to appear at Prime Minister’s Questions opposite Boris Johnson and lead the party as Britain leaves the EU by the end of January.
The Conservatives broke down the Red Wall in the General Election – winning seats that had been held by Labour for more than 100 years.
In a letter, Corbyn admitted the party needed to “earn their trust back” after their once staunch supporters were left alienated.
However, he also claimed that Labour “won the argument” but just “failed to convert it into a majority”.
And while previously refusing to take any blame for the resounding defeat, Corbyn – who clung to his Islington seat – said he would “make no bones” over the loss.”
In the Sunday Mirror, he wrote: “I’m sorry that we came up short and I take my responsibility for it.
“We will learn the lessons of this defeat, above all by listening to lifelong Labour voters who we’ve lost in working class communities. This party exists to represent them. We will earn their trust back.”
The petulant party leader had announced he’ll step down after leading Labour to its most humiliating election defeat since 1935 – but refused to say when he would do so.
He wrote in the Observer: “I am proud that on austerity, on corporate power, on inequality and on the climate emergency we have won the arguments and rewritten the terms of political debate.
“But I regret that we did not succeed in converting that into a parliamentary majority for change.
“There is no doubt that our policies are popular, from public ownership of rail and key utilities to a massive house-building programme and a pay rise for millions.”
MPs and former ministers have been lining up to demand the hard-left leader’s resignation after Boris Johnson’s epic victory.
But Labour big beasts tore into his woeful leadership and even his close ally, union baron Len McCluskey, stuck the boot in yesterday.
An Opinium poll of 5,641 adults found 43 per cent said Mr Corbyn’s leadership was the reason they did not vote Labour.
Sir Keir Starmer is now the favourite to take over as Labour boss – but Jess Phillips threw her hat in and Emily Thornberry gave a speech hinting she’ll go for it too. David Lammy also broke cover to suggest he will throw his hat into the ring to succeed Mr Corbyn.
What's next?
Monday – Mini re-shuffle to replace culture secretary, Nicky Morgan, and Welsh secretary, Alun Cairns
Tuesday – MPs are sworn in at the House of Commons
Thursday – Boris Johnson will unveil the Queen’s Speech, outlining the new government’s legislative programme for the coming year
Friday – Withdrawal bill brought back, if the Speaker allows it
January 6 – MPs debate the withdrawal bill this week
January 29 – Parliament needs to have passed the withdrawal bill by this date so that the agreement can be ratified by the European Parliament at its plenary session in Strasbourg
January 31, 11pm – Britain to leave the EU
As Labour’s civil war waged on, his former top aide Karie Murphy was accused of trying to throw him under the bus.
The Mail on Sunday claimed the aide had formed a pact with Len McCluskey to highlight Corbyn as the reason for Labour’s defeat, rather than the party’s policies.
A source said: “Karie is now dropping Jeremy like a stone. The Left can’t possibly admit their entire project was wrong so they must dump the fiasco on to Corbyn himself.
“The joke is, like the good Marxist he is, Jeremy will probably just quietly accept it for the sake of the collective if that means his hard-Left dream lives on.”
McCluskey yesterday blasted the “incontinent mess” that led to the election loss.
Since the defeat, Corbyn’s right hand man John McDonnell said he would quit as Shadow Chancellor.
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Meanwhile, Boris Johnson vowed he would help give Britain back its mojo so the country could “stand tall”.
The Prime Minister secured a sweeping 80-seat majority on Thursday – meaning the UK is now on track to leave the EU in less than two months.
And on Saturday, Mr Johnson promised to deliver his slogan to “get Brexit done” – and also pledged “better infrastructure, better education and fantastic modern technology”.