Labour MP Liam Byrne to lead moderates in challenge against Corbynism
The former Treasury minister Liam Byrne – the man who left the infamous note explaining "there is no money" – has set out his alternative vision for the Labour party to that of its current leader Jeremy Corbyn.
On the BBC's Today programme this morning, Byrne said the Labour party needs to respect the mandate Corbyn was given from his resounding electoral victory.
However, he added there were policies advocated by Labour's leadership that some of the Labour party did not agree with, and therefore needs to challenge.
In particular, Byrne questioned the policies of "people's quantitative easing", renationalistaion and hikes in public spending that "risk failure".
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He added that it was a good thing Corbyn has put fighting equality on centre stage. However, he added:
We [moderates] have to set out what unites us in the Labour party – that's why I'm saying we need to rewrite Clause IV to put the fight against centre stage, but where there are ideas that we differ with we've got to come up with better ideas
However, Byrne also wants the party to move away from a "headbutting contest with business". He added:
"Lots of people in the business community think Britain is too unequal. You've even got the heads of the International Monetary Fund and the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development all saying "capitalism isn't working any more" as its making a system that's too unequal."
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Byrne is part of Red Shift, a group of MPs organised in the wake of the May General Election result, who have said "At the last election, England decisively shifted blue. Now Labour needs a plan for a red shift". Their report, published in September, outlines 10 ways to win back public support.