New Jeremy Corbyn-led 'Reform of the Left' likely to launch within next three months
GB NEWS
Lord Kinnock took on the hard-left as Labour leader from 1983 to 1992
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Jeremy Corbyn's new hard-left party should call itself the "Nigel Farage Assistance Group", ex-Labour leader Lord Kinnock has claimed.
Lord Kinnock, who saw off the hard-left in the early stages of New Labour's revamp in the 1980s, accused Corbyn of splintering the anti-right vote and enabling "the enemies of the working class".
Corbyn looks poised to unveil a hard-left alternative to Labour alongside ex-Labour MP Zarah Sultana and the four remaining members of the Independent Alliance.
Polling by More in Common suggested that a Corbyn-led party could put rocket-boosters up Reform UK, extending Farage's lead over Sir Keir Starmer from four to seven per cent.
Corbyn's outfit would also surge to 10 per cent, eating into the Green and Scottish National Party's vote.
Speaking to Sky News, Lord Kinnock said: "I understand they're, having a bit of difficulty over thinking of a name. In a comradely way, I'd suggest one. It would be the Farage Assistance Group."
“The reality is, and everybody knows it, a division in the anti-conservative – capital C or small c – anti-right wing vote can only assist the parties of the right, the Conservatives especially now, and that is bad enough, and Farage’s Reform party.
“The splintering, fragmentation offered by a new party of the left they say – I’ve got my doubts about that – of the left can only be of assistance to the enemies of Labour of the working class, people who have no means to sustain themselves, other than the sale of labour, by hand and by brain.
READ IN FULL: Jeremy Corbyn confirms plans to create new hard-left party as ex-Labour chief takes fight to Starmer
Disgraced former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn
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“It can be of benefit to the egos of those running the central party – and they haven’t decide who should do that yet either.”
However, Lord Kinnock, whose son Stephen sniped from the sidelines as Aberavon MP during Corbyn's stint as Labour leader, advised Starmer not to “worry himself too much” about Corbyn or Farage.
“He’s the Prime Minister, he would be punching down,” Lord Kinnock said.
"But there are other people throughout the party who should be taking Corbyn and Reform very seriously.”
MORE ABOUT CORBYN'S HARD-LEFT PARTY:
Lord Kinnock and Keir Starmer
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Despite leading Corbynistas John McDonnell and Diane Abbott shunning calls to cross the floor, GB News understands that the ex-Labour leader will likely unveil his new hard-left party in the next three months.
Corbyn, who won his Islington North seat as an independent after being permanently suspended by Starmer, confirmed his intention to co-lead a new party with Sultana yesterday.
He said: "Real change is coming. One year on from the election, this Labour Government has refused to deliver the change people expected and deserved.
"Poverty, inequality and war are not inevitable. Our country needs to change direction, now.
LATEST STORIES ON REFORM UK:Reform UK leader Nigel Farage
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"Congratulations to Zarah Sultana on her principled decision to leave the Labour Party. I am delighted that she will help us build a real alternative.
"The democratic foundations of a new kind of political party will soon take shape. Discussions are ongoing - and I am excited to work alongside all communities to fight for the future people deserve.
"Together, we can create something that is desperately missing from our broken political system: hope."
Farage responded by warning that Corbyn's return posed a major threat to the Prime Minister, adding: "If you thought Keir Starmer was having a bad week, it just got a whole lot worse."
LATEST ON KEIR STARMER:However, The Sunday Times has shared WhatsApp messages showing Corbyn's allies were initially stunned by Sultana's pre-emptive announcement about co-leading the hard-left outfit.
Karie Murphy, who served as Corbyn’s chief of staff when he was Labour leader, said: “Neither Jeremy nor Laura deserves to be treated with such a lack of respect.”
Alan Gibbons, a children’s author inspired by Corbyn’s 2015 leadership to join Labour, added: "We have nothing against Zarah Sultana, but we believe JC should have been the interim leader."
Another member responded: "Sorry guys but am I missing something here? What on earth is going on?"