Corbyn: “slate will be wiped clean” after leadership contest

“The slate will be wiped clean this weekend” after the party’s new leader is announced on Saturday, Jeremy Corbyn has said to MPs.

The current Labour leader, who is being challenged by MP Owen Smith, said if he is re-elected leader he will “reach out to and work with all Labour MPs to form a broad and effective opposition to this divisive and floundering Tory government”.

Days after the EU referendum result in June there were mass resignations from Corbyn’s shadow cabinet. The favourite in the contest is encouraging some of the people who walked out to return to the front bench. In a message to MPs he they have a “ responsibility to work within the democracy of our party and respect the leadership of whoever is elected”.

After the polls closed, Corbyn said his aim to to build a Labour government.

“I will work to create a strong leadership team for our party, inside and outside parliament, based on respect for each other and for all those who rely on Labour to defend their interests.

“In the next few days, I will be holding discussions with MPs and others about the best way to cement a new working relationship with the parliamentary Labour party, as we democratise our party and its structures…We owe it to the millions of people Labour exists to represent to end the sniping and personal attacks, and work together for all those who depend on the election of a Labour government. Anything else would be destructive self-indulgence”, he said.

It’s thought Corbyn is on track to triumph again. Last September he received 59.5% of the vote.

The polls closed in the contest yesterday at 12pm. The result is expected at 11.45am on Saturday.