Portsmouth Labour Party backs Jeremy Corbyn to continue as leader

More than 100 local members held a secret ballot on Thursday to determine whether Mr Corbyn or his opponent Owen Smith should take up the position.

Among Portsmouth North members, Mr Corbyn picked up 25 votes and Mr Smith only managed two. In Portsmouth South, Mr Corbyn overwhelmingly won, with 75 votes compared to Mr Smith’s 13 votes.

The outcome comes despite Portsmouth Labour council group leader Cllr John Ferrett’s concerns over Mr Corbyn’s leadership and political views. Cllr Ferrett has said he will quit the party if Mr Corbyn remains leader, and recently posted a picture of him enjoying a Prosecco on holiday in response to calls for him to quit now.

Labour’s leadership election will go ahead with the exclusion of 130,000 new members after five dropped their legal challenge against the decision to bar them.