Labour’s local campaign to restart tomorrow as national push returns on Friday

Labour will resume local campaigning tomorrow with a “phased” return to the national pitch coming on Friday, the party has said.

Jeremy Corbyn today said that terrorism must not “derail our democratic process”.

He was speaking as more details emerged of the victims of the evil attack on Manchester Arena. Twenty-two people were killed and more than 100 people were injured.

“The British people are united in their resolve that terror will not prevail. It will not prevent us going about our daily lives or derail our democratic process,” Corbyn said today

“Resuming democratic debate and campaigning is an essential mark of the country’s determination to defend our democracy and the unity that the terrorists have sought to attack.”

Corbyn and Theresa May had agreed to halt campaigning when they spoke in the aftermath of Monday’s attack.

This afternoon the Tories said they would restart local campaigning tomorrow, following a minute’s silence at Buckingham Palace, before beginning the national push again on Friday, the BBC reported. Paul Nuttall, leader of UKIP, is due to unveil his party’s manifesto tomorrow.

A spokesperson for Labour said: “As a mark of respect for the victims of the horrific terrorist attack in Manchester on Monday, the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn suspended the party’s general election campaigning after consultations with the prime minister.

“Following further discussions with all the main parties, Labour will resume local campaigning tomorrow (Thursday) followed by a phased return to national campaigning on Friday.”

Mike Gapes: National campaign is on hold but locally we must continue to defend the democracy terrorists want to destroy