Labour figureheads urge people to rejoin party to help reshape it

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaking at the Patti Pavilion in Swansea, while on the General Election campaign trail in Wales. PA Photo. Picture date: Saturday December 7, 2019. See PA story POLITICS Election. Photo credit should read: Victoria Jones/PA Wire - Credit: PA

Labour figureheads are encouraging people to rejoin the party to reshape it after the election defeat.

Alastair Campbell, a TNE columnist and Tony Blair’s communications chief, was among those urging people who had left under Jeremy Corbyn to rejoin.

Shortly after the result he tweeted: “I’m not sure that I can because I was expelled. But I really think former members of Labour should rejoin. The early signs of the ‘period of reflection’ suggest that some reflection input from those who left might be helpful both in the analysis and the aftermath.”

Jess Phillips, a possible leadership contender, wrote: “I don’t know what is going to happen but I know we need people in this fight.

“If you are upset with the result or if you are upset with the party, you need to join. Labour members have actual power. You can change this.”

It comes as a new Twitter account with the handle @rejoinrebuild said that they needed to “grow the next wave in the Labour movement to ensure the party has the leadership, culture and direction, fit for power”.

Best for Britain’s Alex Andreou also echoed calls for people to have their say in the leadership race.

He said: “I rejoined Labour, yesterday, at 10:30am. Whether fair or not, under our electoral system, the most effective and ready-to-go engine for change is the opposition.

“We need to retake it from those who wish organisational purity over electability.”