Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party 'not a credible party of government'

Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray criticises Corbyn after party slumps to third north of the border

Mr Khan beat his Tory rival Zac Goldsmith but elsewhere the news for Labour was less good (PA)

Labour under Jeremy Corbyn is not seen as a "credible" party of government by voters, a member of the shadow cabinet has said.

In elections that represented the first verdict of the electorate on Corbyn’s leadership, Labour suffered a disastous result in Scotland where they were pushed into third place by a resurgent Tory party.

And though Labour's Sadiq Khan beat Zac Goldsmith in the London mayoral race, it was a rare bright spot on an otherwise poor performance.

Critics of Mr Corbyn were quick to point out that such a result was nowhere near good enough to win a general election, while the Labour leader himself admitted that they had “hung on”.

"I don't think that the public see the UK Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn at the moment as being a credible party of future government in 2020,” Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray said.

“That's something, after this week's results, we should reflect on.”

Veteran backbencher David Winnick called on Mr Corbyn to take responsibility and consider his position in order to give the party a chance of regaining power in 2020.

"The party faces a crisis and the onus is on Jeremy himself. He should decide whether his leadership is helping or hindering the party," he said. "I think all the evidence shows that it is not helping."

The election results were mixed for other parties too. Nicola Sturgeon was deprived of an overall majority in Scottish Parliament with six fewer MSPs than in 2011, lessening the prospect of another independence referendum.

While the Tories celebrated their best-ever result north of the border they lost 34 councillors in England and had a smaller share of the vote than at the general election.

Ukip made a breakthrough in Wales, securing seven Assembly seats, mainly at the expense of Labour.

Among those elected was the disgraced former Tory MP Neil Hamilton who won 25,000 votes to be elected as assembly member for Mid and West Wales.

But the party only won 57 council seats, far below its success in previous local elections.

The Lib Dems meanwhile made modest gains in council elections – but there was little evidence of any widespread resurgence for the party which a year ago was in Government.

On a visit to Sheffield – where Labour won a Parliamentary by-election - Mr Corbyn admitted the party had "a lot of building to do" in Scotland but brushed aside suggestions that he should stand down. “I'm carrying on. I'm fine. I'm very happy," he said

But Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson admitted that the party had a mountain to climb if it was to stand any chance of being competitive at the next General Election.

“I don't have all the answers, but I understand the seriousness of the task ahead,” he said, when questioned on Labour's huge losses in Scotland.

But he gave Mr Corbyn a stay of execution from his backbench critics, adding: “After eight months it would be unfair and improper to hang this result on Jeremy Corbyn's peg alone".

Tim Roache, general secretary of the GMB union, which broadly supports Mr Corbyn, said the results were a “very mixed bag” and gave Mr Corbyn a year to turn things around.

“Would I have wanted better? Absolutely,” he said.

“We're at the stage when we should be winning hundreds of seats. But I don't think that's just about Corbyn. People won't vote for a divided Labour Party.”

He added: “Let's give it a go for a year or so. Who knows what might happen.”

Among the other highlights from the day's results:

• The Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson secured a seat at Holyrood on the first past the post part of the election by winning Edinburgh Central from the SNP. But the Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale was left relying on the top-up system for a seat as she failed to take Edinburgh Eastern.
• The Liberal Democrats also made a small resurgence north of the border with their leader Willie Rennie returning to Holyrood in North East Fife, while the party also took Edinburgh Western from the SNP and held on to the Orkney and Shetland islands. The Lib Dems also made modest gains in local council elections.
• With results in from 115 out of 124 councils declared, Labour was down by 25 seats, Ukip up 26, the Conservatives down 33 and Lib Dems up 36.
• Labour lost control of Dudley council in the West Midlands, but held on to major cities including Birmingham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Sunderland, as well as key southern outposts like Exeter, Southampton, Crawley and Slough. 

Responding to claims that Labour is not doing as well as it should be, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell told the BBC: "We are laying the foundations for a four-year programme."

"If you compare, from when Jeremy took over to now, we are on a clear path of improvement. That's exactly what our strategy is all about."

He said in Scotland the picture was "complex" and Labour was "at the early stages" of rebuilding support, having been "wiped out" in 2015.

David Cameron, on a visit to Peterborough, where the Tories secured an absolute majority on the council, said Labour had "completely lost touch" with the working people it was supposed to represent.

“They are so obsessed with their left-wing causes and unworkable economic policies, they've forgotten that people want jobs, people want livelihoods, people want lower taxes, people want homes they live in and can afford to own," he said.