Owen Smith promises not to 'backslide' on left-wing policies if elected leader

Owen Smith said he would give members a greater say in policy

The challenger candidate is trailing Mr Corbyn (Getty)

Owen Smith has sought to reassure Labour members that he would not “backslide” on left-wing policy commitments made during the leadership contest.

In a speech in his home constituency of Pontypridd on Monday morning the leadership challenger unveiled a series of reforms to strengthen members’ role in party policymaking.

He also attacked his rival Jeremy Corbyn for campaigning against Trident nuclear weapons when it remained party policy to renew the system.

The announcements appear to be a move by the Smith campaign to quell worries amongst Labour members that the candidate would tack to the political centre if he won the contest.

“I would bind myself to the decisions made by the party on party policy. I would not seek to overturn it,” he said.

“Crucially I would give conference a new role and responsibility in our party to sign off on our manifesto.

“I believe it is necessary to reassure people across the party that there would be no backsliding on my watch and that the radical and credible policies I laid out in this leadership contest will be laid out in a manifesto, guaranteed.”

He also announced measures to strengthen the party’s policy forum, suggesting that affiliated organisations should be more closely involved in the process.

Policies announced by the challenger candidate during the course of the contest have had a definite socialist flavour, in an attempt to win over those who voted for Mr Corbyn last time.

Left-wingers may still be wary of Mr Smith tacking to the centre, however. He has made few pledges on immigration and welfare during the course of the contest – two areas Labour centrists believe the party needs to move rightwards on to win over swing voters.

New right-wing policies on these issues are still therefore consistent with Mr Smith following through on pledges made in the campaign.

Last year Labour’s annual conference avoided voting on whether to change its policy on Trident after delegates selected another issue for debate.

Mr Corbyn has however continued to campaign for disarmament. This is not an unusual stance; previous Labour leaders have consistently ignored conference motions on policy on issues such a railway renationalisation.

Earlier in the campaign Mr Corbyn’s team accused Mr Smith of copying his policies on a number of issues.