London Mayor,Sadiq Khan, voices concerns about Labour leadership crisis but refuses to call for Corbyn to go
Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, speaks with ‘UpFront’ about the current leadership crisis in the UK’s Labour Party:
- On nominating Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership in 2015: “I don’t regret that at all”
- Repeatedly refuses to comment on whether Corbyn should step down as leader: “I’m not going to get involved in the leadership contest”
- Warns against a rumoured split in the Labour Party: ‘When Labour splits, when we’re divided, we lose elections”
(Washington DC – 29th June, 2016) – In an interview with Al Jazeera English’s current affairs show, ‘UpFront’, Sadiq Khan, the Labour mayor of London, says he doesn’t regret nominating Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership in the summer of 2015.
“I don’t regret that at all,” he told ‘UpFront’ host Mehdi Hasan.
“I think it was right for the Labour movement to have a choice,” Khan explained, “and to be fair to Jeremy Corbyn, last year, he had the best campaign…last year, fairly and squarely he won the contest.”
Speaking in the midst of a leadership crisis within the UK’s Labour Party and calls by many Labour MPs for Jeremy Corbyn to step down, the London mayor did, however, express his concerns about a split within the Labour Party.
“When Labour splits, when we’re divided, we lose elections,” he said.
During the interview, Khan was repeatedly pressed by Hasan to comment on whether Corbyn should stand down as leader. He refused to answer, saying, “I’ve said it loudly and clearly and I’ll say it again: I’m not going to get involved in the leadership contest.”
However, when asked whether Corbyn was ready to win the next general election for Labour, Khan responded: “All I can talk about is my experience during the referendum campaign, and I was concerned that in Manchester and in Leeds and Oldham, and Bradford, Labour supporters weren’t aware of what our position was.”
He continued: “To win a big election, a general election, whether it’s mayor of London or whether it’s to be the government… you don’t just speak to Labour supporters from the last election, you need to speak to Conservative supporters from the last election, Liberal Democrat supporters, Green supporters, and UKIP supporters… and those that stayed at home, to persuade them to vote for your party.”
***ENDS***
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
This interview with Sadiq Khan airs on Friday July 1st at 19:30 GMT
If using quotes please credit Al Jazeera English and ‘UpFront’ and please add this link to online copy www.aljazeera.com/upfront
UpFront broadcasts on Fridays at 19.30 GMT. Follow UpFront on Twitter @AJUpFront
