BULLISH Jeremy Corbyn braced his detractors for disappointment yesterday, predicting Labour will make gains in the party’s first electoral test under his leadership.

Mr Corbyn dismissed speculation that he could face a leadership challenge if Labour struggles in elections across Britain tomorrow, saying: “We’re not going to lose seats, we’re looking to gain seats where we can.”

The Labour leader also urged the media to stop “obsessing” over his leadership and focus on the real election issues, such as “grotesque” levels of poverty, cuts to the NHS and the housing crisis.

“It’s time, quite honestly, that many in the golden circle of the media establishment actually got out a bit and listened to what people are saying,” he told journalists after facing a barrage of questions about his leadership.

“I think many of the media are obsessed with this, rather than what they should be obsessed with which is the devastating crisis of inequality in our society.”

Mr Corbyn made the appeal as he launched a new election advert drawing a clear dividing line between Labour and the Tories.

“Elections are about taking sides. Labour is on yours,” read the billboard behind Mr Corbyn as he rallied activists to pound the pavements in a final push before the elections for the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly, London mayor and English councils.

He highlighted new research by City University which shows the gap in life expectancy between the richest and poorest has grown for the first time since the 1890s.

“That’s why we’re so determined to do the very best we can this Thursday to elect Labour mayors and Labour councils that stand up for the people of this country, not stand aside and allow the government to carry on its policies of tax cuts for the wealthiest, charges and cuts for the poorest,” he said.

When asked afterwards what sort of results would constitute a failure, he said: “Listen, the failure is what this government is doing for people in this country.

“The failure is this government that is cutting services, the failure is this government — as I’ve just explained — lowering the life expectancy of the poorest. That’s what failure looks like.”

Labour highlighted a huge £4.8 billion budget black hole that will devastate public services even further.

The party said the shortfall amounted to a loss of 2,900 police officers, 20,000 nurses and 18,000 midwives, 16,500 teachers and 2,000 residential care places for the elderly.

Mr Corbyn said: “The Tories have made it clear they don’t stand up for people’s priorities.

“Their ideological cuts have devastated public services, leaving the NHS with the worst A&E waiting times since records began, and an unnecessary dispute with junior doctors.

“Rather than tackle rising class sizes in schools or the shortage of teachers, they are now preparing to spend over £1 billion on a top-down reorganisation of schools that nobody wants.”

Hard-right Labour MPs plotting a coup against Mr Corbyn have turned to veteran MP Margaret Hodge as a stalking horse candidate, according to the Sun.

Brushing aside the speculation, Mr Corbyn said: “I don’t know who these Labour MPs are. I would advise every member of our party, including our MPs, to get out there on the doorstep and campaign. We’ve got two days to go.”
Whatever the outcome of Thursday’s elections, he insisted he was going nowhere and would “of course” be on the ballot paper if his leadership was challenged.

Shadow housing minister John Healey backed Mr Corbyn to continue as leader yesterday, accepting the elections were going to be “tough” but reaffirming the “very strong mandate” he received last summer.

“In 19 years in opposition and in government, I’ve lost count of the number of stalking horses and future leaders I’ve come across,” he told the BBC’s Daily Politics show.

“For me this is part of what turns people off politics. The whispers in the Westminster world really make politicians seem like we’re more concerned with our own problems rather than the difficulties that they face.”
lukejames@peoples-press.com