Lord Mandelson calls for Jeremy Corbyn to be replaced by leader ‘who can stand up to’ Boris Johnson
2 min read
Lord Mandelson has called for Jeremy Corbyn to be dumped as Labour leader.
The arch-Blairite said Mr Corbyn needed to be replaced by someone “who can stand up to” Boris Johnson and stop Brexit.
His comments come after the Labour boss refused to say whether he supported the UK remaining in the EU.
Asked by Sophy Ridge on Sky News if his presence was for Leave or Remain, Mr Corbyn said he supported “investment, jobs, trade and equality - both in or out of the EU".
In an interview with Italian newspaper La Stampa, Lord Mandelson said: “Corbyn is not the leader that Labour needs at this time. He cannot deliver.Even his supporters are realising this.
“We need an alternative who can stand up to Johnson and lead the country against the disaster which is in the making.”
It is the first time the former Cabinet minister has publicly called for Mr Corbyn to go.
Labour’s official position is to support another EU referendum, and to campaign for Remain against either a Tory Brexit deal or to stop a no-deal departure.
However, the party is also committed to renegotiating the existing Brexit deal if it wins an election before the UK leaves the EU - and won’t say whether it would back Remain or Leave in those circumstances.
Last week, Mr Corbyn’s spokesman would not say Labour is now a Remain party.
He said: “We've never said that. We've said we will campaign for Remain against a damaging Tory deal or against no-deal in a referendum, but there are other circumstances that could occur."
Meanwhile, a poll for ITV on Monday showed a surge in support for the Tories in Wales, with Labour backing now at its lowest ever level at 22%.
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