Cabinet minister calls Corbyn ‘chaotic' after new party launch
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said that the Islington North MP 'doesn't think about governing, he thinks about posturing' and praised the leadership of Mr Corbyn's successor Sir Keir Starmer.
The ex-Labour leader promised a 'new kind of political party' when he launched the as yet unnamed project with Zarah Sultana on Thursday.
Asked about the move, Mr Kyle reflected on what he called the 'chaos and instability' of Mr Corbyn's leadership.
Speaking on Times Radio, Mr Kyle said: 'He's not a serious politician. He doesn't think about governing, he thinks about posturing. And we see that writ large at the moment, because all the posturing, of course, just puts him at odds with his own supporters, which is why you've got George Galloway saying he won't join it.'
He later added: 'The Labour Party is now led by somebody who has the very clear interest of our country at heart. It is country first, and that's the kind of thing I think people are responding to.
'We see Keir acting incredibly well on the international stage in recent months, tackling some of the big issues facing the world and its economy and he's thrown himself into fixing our public services. I think this is the kind of leadership that people respond to, not that of the chaotic Jeremy Corbyn.'
Mr Corbyn said on Friday that '200,000 people have signed up' after Thursday's launch.
The movement has the website yourparty.uk, with a welcome message saying 'this is your party' – but Ms Sultana said: 'It's not called Your Party.'
Mr Corbyn denied on Thursday that the launch had been 'messy'.
His statement on X came after Ms Sultana said she was launching the party with Mr Corbyn earlier this month, but the former Labour leader appeared unready to formally announce the move until now.
'It's not messy at all. It's a totally coherent approach,' he told reporters.
'It's democratic, it's grassroots and it's open.'
He also said that he and Coventry South MP Ms Sultana are 'working very well together'.
Asked why it was him alone doing broadcast media to launch the party, and also asked where Ms Sultana was, he said: 'We're working absolutely together on this.
'She happens to be, as far as I know at this moment, in Coventry.
'I was in touch with her just a few moments ago. So it's all fine. We're working very well together, all of us.'
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