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Labour leadership hustings: Corbyn against coalition with SNP Labour leadership hustings: Smith warns Corbyn over Labour split
(about 7 hours later)
The current leader of Labour, Jeremy Corbyn, has ruled out his party entering into a coalition with the SNP. Labour leadership candidate Owen Smith has warned that the party could split unless Jeremy Corbyn is replaced.
He made his view clear ahead of taking part in a leadership hustings in Glasgow with rival Owen Smith. Speaking during a debate with Mr Corbyn in Glasgow, Mr Smith insisted he would be "Labour till I die".
Mr Corbyn's Shadow Scottish Secretary Dave Anderson had urged Labour to consider an SNP coalition. But he said his "grave fear" was that the party could end up split and divided unless a new leader is elected.
Thursday evening's hustings is the latest in a series being held between Mr Corbyn and Mr Smith who are the two contenders for leading the UK party. Both candidates also emphatically rejected any suggestion of forming a "progressive alliance" with the SNP, Plaid Cymru and Greens.
Scottish Labour Party leader Kezia Dugdale, who is supporting Mr Smith's candidacy, will not be attending the event. The event at the SECC is the latest in a series of debates being held by the two politicians.
Labour Party members have begun voting in the contest, the outcome of which will be known on 24 September.
Mr Smith is attempting to unseat Mr Corbyn less than a year after he was overwhelmingly elected as leader.Mr Smith is attempting to unseat Mr Corbyn less than a year after he was overwhelmingly elected as leader.
The election was triggered after dozens of Mr Corbyn's frontbench team - including then-Work and Pensions spokesman Mr Smith - quit in the wake of Hilary Benn's sacking on 26 June. 'Radical and credible'
Mr Corbyn's opponents have argued that he cannot win a general election, pointing to what they view as his lacklustre performance ahead of the EU referendum. Speaking during the debate, he claimed Labour had gone backwards in Scotland under Mr Corbyn, with the party finishing third behind the SNP and Conservatives in May's Holyrood election.
'Some lunatic' He said: "People in Scotland can not look to Labour in Westminster right now and anticipate us winning a general election, therefore we are ill serving the Scottish Labour Party and we are ill serving the people of Scotland.
On Wednesday, Mr Smith apologised to Mr Corbyn for any offence caused after he told supporters: "What you won't get from me is some lunatic at the top of the Labour Party." "We need to get back to being a radical and credible government-in-waiting, and we need to be much more powerful in attacking the Tories.
The Welsh MP insisted he had been referring to himself, and not his leadership rival. Mr Corbyn pledged greater investment in Scotland if the party was to win the next general election, and said Labour needed to challenge the SNP more on their "underfunding" of Scottish local authorities.
But despite having little support among Labour MPs, Mr Corbyn's backers believe he remains popular among grassroots party members. Asked about any potential party split, Mr Corbyn said: "It's an enormous honour to be selected and elected as a Labour Member of Parliament.
He won the leadership last year after securing 59.5% of the votes. "You have a huge responsibility to the community that has elected you and the party that has selected you and put you there so the idea, as happened with the SDP in the 1980s, that you could walk away into the arms of wealthy donors and set up some other organisation is a complete and utter anathema to me.
The Glasgow debate, which will be held before an audience of Labour members at the SECC from 19:00 BST, will be streamed live on the Labour Party website. "I want our party to be democratic and accountable."
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale confirmed on Monday that she would be backing Mr Smith in the leadership race, arguing that he could reunite the party and win a general election. Labour Party members have already started voting in the contest, the outcome of which will be announced on 24 September.
But her deputy, Alex Rowley, has previously criticised Labour MPs for attempting to "launch a coup" against Mr Corbyn. Scottish Labour Party leader Kezia Dugdale, who is supporting Mr Smith's candidacy, is not attending the debate, which is being shown live on the BBC News Channel.
Mr Corbyn's team believes he continues to enjoy the support of the majority of Scottish Labour members and constituency branches. There was jeering from some sections of the debate audience when Ms Dugdale's name was mentioned, but Mr Corbyn again insisted he would be able to work with her if he won the leadership contest.
The two largest unions affiliated to Labour - Unite and Unison - have also given their backing to Mr Corbyn. Secured a seat
But Mr Smith has picked up support from two other major unions, the GMB and Usdaw. Mr Corbyn had earlier secured a seat in a Virgin rail carriage for his trip to Glasgow as he returned to the operator following a row about overcrowded trains.
Meanwhile, Mr Corbyn secured a seat in a Virgin rail carriage for his trip to Glasgow as he returned to the operator following a row about overcrowded trains.
Virgin had disputed his claim he was unable to find a seat on a "ram-packed" service earlier this month.Virgin had disputed his claim he was unable to find a seat on a "ram-packed" service earlier this month.
On Thursday morning, Mr Corbyn was photographed in a seat on a Virgin service from London Euston to Glasgow.On Thursday morning, Mr Corbyn was photographed in a seat on a Virgin service from London Euston to Glasgow.
Twitter user David Rose posted an image of the Labour leader and said: "My kids just got on @VirginTrains from Euston to Glasgow with @jeremycorbyn. He has a seat. Good job @richardbranson."Twitter user David Rose posted an image of the Labour leader and said: "My kids just got on @VirginTrains from Euston to Glasgow with @jeremycorbyn. He has a seat. Good job @richardbranson."
Virgin Trains responded by wishing Mr Corbyn a "great trip". In a Twitter message the operator said: "Welcome onboard! Hope you all have a great trip to Glasgow this morning."Virgin Trains responded by wishing Mr Corbyn a "great trip". In a Twitter message the operator said: "Welcome onboard! Hope you all have a great trip to Glasgow this morning."
Mr Rose later told the BBC that he had first seen Mr Corbyn queuing up to get on the train.Mr Rose later told the BBC that he had first seen Mr Corbyn queuing up to get on the train.
He added: "My wife and kids got on the train, I didn't as I was going to work.He added: "My wife and kids got on the train, I didn't as I was going to work.
"My wife said he [Mr Corbyn] was very nice and was amused with my kids playing Monopoly.""My wife said he [Mr Corbyn] was very nice and was amused with my kids playing Monopoly."
The Labour leadership contest was triggered after dozens of Mr Corbyn's frontbench team - including then-Work and Pensions spokesman Mr Smith - quit in the wake of Hilary Benn's sacking on 26 June.
Constituency branches
But despite having little support among Labour MPs, Mr Corbyn's backers believe he remains popular among grassroots party members.
Ms Dugdale confirmed on Monday that she would be backing Mr Smith in the leadership race, arguing that he could reunite the party and win a general election.
But her deputy, Alex Rowley, has previously criticised Labour MPs for attempting to "launch a coup" against Mr Corbyn.
Mr Corbyn's team believes he continues to enjoy the support of the majority of Scottish Labour members and constituency branches.
The two largest unions affiliated to Labour - Unite and Unison - have also given their backing to Mr Corbyn.
But Mr Smith has picked up support from two other major unions, the GMB and Usdaw.
Labour leadership election timetableLabour leadership election timetable