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Labour MP slammed for saying party 'will fight Tories in the streets'

Labour Party candidate Lloyd Russell-Moyle speaks after he is announced as the winner for the constituency of Brighton Kemptown at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Brighton, Britain December 13, 2019.  REUTERS/Paul Childs
Labour's Lloyd Russell-Moyle speaks after he is announced as the winner for the constituency of Brighton Kemptown (Picture: Reuters)

A Labour MP has been criticised for an “appalling” speech in which he said his party would fight the Tories “in the streets”.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle’s speech after his victory in Brighton Kemptown on Thursday was slammed by Conservative politician Sir Andrew Bowden.

It came after Labour suffered its worst general election defeat to the Conservatives in more than 80 years.

Mr Russell-Moyle, 33, told the crowd at the Brighton Centre: “The Conservative Party have an aim to break up our country.

“They aim to destroy our NHS and we will say no.

“We will fight them in the Parliament, we will fight them in the courts, we will fight them in the workplaces and we will fight them in the streets.

“They will not destroy our country. Thank you, Kemptown.”

Labour Party candidate Lloyd Russell-Moyle celebrates with supporters after he is announced as the winner for the constituency of Brighton Kemptown at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Brighton, Britain December 13, 2019.  REUTERS/Paul Childs
Mr Russell-Moyle celebrates with supporters (Picture: Reuters)

Sir Andrew, who was Brighton Kemptown MP between 1970 and 1997, condemned the speech “for its clear implications” and accused Mr Russel-Moyle of being an “extreme left-wing socialist, stroke Marxist, and a friend of Mr Corbyn”.

He told The Argus: “His demand is not acceptable in any democracy.

“He has no right or justification for saying Conservative MPs are very dangerous forces.

“I believe the great majority in Kemptown, regardless of how they voted, will condemn his appalling outburst.”

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Meanwhile, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has apologised to supporters over the party’s catastrophic performance in the general election.

In an open letter, the Labour leader acknowledged the party “came up short” in the poll on Thursday, adding: “I take my responsibility for it.”

But despite Labour suffering its worst result since 1935 – with dozens of seats falling to the Tories – he said he was “proud” the party had offered a message of “hope” in the election.

Mr Corbyn was widely criticised in the aftermath of the election for failing to apologise as Labour’s hitherto impregnable “red wall” of seats in the North, the Midlands and North Wales crumbled in the face of the Conservative onslaught.

In his letter to the Sunday Mirror, he said: “I will make no bones about it. The result was a body blow for everyone who so desperately needs real change in our country.

“I’m sorry that we came up short and I take my responsibility for it.”

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