UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says he is planning to become his country’s next prime minister by giving his grassroots supporters more control over the party.
Addressing the Labour women’s conference on Saturday, Corbyn said giving the grassroots a greater role would give him the power to replace Prime Minister Theresa May and ultimately change the “system of inequality and injustice” in the British society.
“Wide participation in policy-making leads to more support for the policies we get, leads us to that movement that will bring about the end of this government but – beyond that – the end of the system of inequality and injustice in our society,” the main opposition leader told his supporters.
Corbyn’s statements came days after his critical victory at National Executive Committee (NEC), Labour’s administrative body.
The NEC has already agreed to a number of proposals that would guarantee the presence of a left-wing candidate on the ballot once Corbyn steps down as the party’s leader.
The major changes, which will be reviewed during Labour’s national conference in Brighton on Sunday, included cutting down the parliamentary threshold for nominating a leader for the party from 15 percent to 10 percent.
This helps Corbyn’s potential successor to have a greater chance of securing a place on the ballot, a struggle that Corbyn went through during his own bid to become the party leader in 2015.
There also have been talks of a sharp rise in the number of all-women shortlists ahead of candidate selections for upcoming general elections.
Corbyn has been enjoying greater support within his party after overcoming a leadership challenge and successfully increasing his party's seats in the Parliament during a snap general election in June.
Labour and women
Acknowledging that Tories had May as a woman at the top of their party, Corbyn said the ruling party’s policies had hurt women regardless.
“It’s without question the Labour party is the party of women’s equality, no matter who else might try to claim that mantle,” he said. “I acknowledge that the Tories have a woman leader, but their policies have actually hurt women a lot.”
The Labour leader pointed to the abuse hurled at Labour’s female MPs, including Luciana Berger and the shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, and said it was time to stop the maltreatment.
“The unbelievable and disgusting and disgraceful levels of abuse that women receive in public life is unacceptable – from anybody, to anybody – it has got to stop,” he said.