Isabel Hardman Isabel Hardman

Labour’s moderates are stuck until they can solve their membership problem

We are still not entirely sure when the Labour leadership contest will end, but in these dusty days of recess, it is certainly keeping everyone nicely busy. Today Owen Smith received a boost from trade union GMB, which decided to endorse his bid to take over from Jeremy Corbyn. Its members voted 60-40 to endorse Smith, and General Secretary Tim Roache said ‘GMB members cannot afford for Labour to be talking to itself in a bubble for the next five years while the Tories run riot through out rights at work, our public services and our communities’. This drew yet another combative – and slightly curious – response from Team Corbyn after yesterday’s conspiracy theories fun. Sophy Ridge reports that the current elected leader’s aides said:

‘This is not unexpected, we heard that there had been a well-funded and orchestrated effort from certain rightwing political officers at the GMB close to Watson and Smith.

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