Jeremy Corbyn was yesterday left humiliated by a “disastrous” by-election defeat in a former Labour stronghold and faced calls from his party’s MPs to consider his future.
Senior backbencher David Winnick said the Labour leader’s “sense of duty” meant he should think of stepping down before the 2020 election.
Long-term critic John Woodcock said the party was heading for a “catastrophic” general election rout and Corbyn should consider what was best for its supporters. The attacks came after the Conservatives made history by ousting Labour from Copeland after 80 years.
They overturned a Labour majority of 2,564 in a swing of more than 6%. It is the first time since 1982 that a government party has taken a seat from the opposition in a by-election.
There was good news for Corbyn at Thursday’s by-election in Stoke Central, where Labour smashed Ukip leader Paul Nuttall’s bid to become an MP in a tricky three-way contest. In a dire turnout of 37%, Labour won with 7,853 votes to Nuttall’s meagre haul of 5,233.
Corbyn admitted that he was “very disappointed” by the result in Copeland.
But after being asked whether he would now fall on his sword, he said: “I was elected to lead this party to oppose austerity and oppose the re- distribution of wealth in the wrong direction, which is what this government is doing.” The defiant Labour chief added: “We will continue.”
Corbyn’s critics stressed that they were not plotting another attempted leadership coup, following his re-election last year. Instead the battle has turned to putting pressure on the 67-year-old leader to step aside before 2020 unless his polling improves.
Winnick said the Copeland result proved Corbyn was “simply not acceptable to a large number of people who would normally vote Labour”. Loyalists rallied to Corbyn, however, with shadow cabinet member Cat Smith hailing his “incredible achievement”. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell called for party unity.
Copeland had been held by Labour MPs since 1935, but the party’s campaign was undermined by Corbyn’s record of opposing nuclear power, the major local employer.
Theresa May was woken by text message with the Copeland result. The prime minister then woke her husband Philip to break the news to him, said sources.
She was expected to travel up to the constituency to stage a victory appearance with winner Trudy Harrison.
Labour Party candidate Gillian Troughton (left) looks away as Conservative Party candidate Trudy Harrison smiles after winning the Copeland by-election in Whitehaven, Britain, yesterday.
