INTERVIEWED on BBC TV’s Andrew Marr Show yesterday morning, Labour leader Corbyn said of the Tories: ‘They are trying to form a government at the moment, I’ve no idea what they are going to put into the Queen’s Speech, I’ve no idea what their stance is going to be on a legislative programme.
‘I’m very clear what our stance is, we fought this election campaign on a jobs-first Brexit, we fought this election campaign to oppose austerity, we fought this election campaign to start bringing fairness and justice, security for old people and real hope for young people.
‘Surely the result has shown something very remarkable in British politics – young people became engaged, older people joined in that engagement, we had an incredible process here, something quite historic happened here.’
Marr asked: ‘You are going to put down, we read, an alternative Queen’s Speech, is that true?’ Corbyn replied: ‘Well, we are going to put down a substantial amendment to the Queen’s Speech which will contain within it the main points of our manifesto. So we’ll invite the House to consider all the issues we’ve put forward which I’ve mentioned – a jobs-first Brexit, the issues of young people and austerity and there are many other things.’
He insisted: ‘Have we done deals with anybody? No. Are we forming a coalition? No. Will we put our programme to Parliament? Yes, and that is what we will do. That’s why we fought the election, that’s why we had the biggest increase in Labour support of any election since 1945, there’s something quite remarkable happened then.’
He declared: ‘We cannot go on with a period of great instability, we have a programme, we have support and we are ready to fight another election campaign as soon as maybe, because we want to be able to serve the people of this country on the agenda which we put forward, which is transformative and has gained amazing levels of support.’
Asked by Marr: ‘You’re expecting an election quite soon, is the Labour Party ready for an election again this year?’ Corbyn replied: ‘We’re ready anytime.’ Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornbury said: ‘We are in uncharted territory. All I’m telling you is that our manifesto is popular, our vision for Britain is right, they have no idea what they are doing, we are waiting in the wings, we will step in if we are required and if we are called upon to serve.’
She described Theresa May as ‘squatting in Downing Street’ and was asked: ‘In a month’s time, do you think Jeremy Corbyn could be in Number 10?’, replying: ‘Who knows, let’s see.’ She added: ‘When you look at the polls today it would seem that we are five points ahead of the Conservatives, I think we are going to go through a period when Labour will become increasingly popular and the reason for this is not just because we are united behind our policies but actually we show what the Labour Party can be if we are united, and the Tories in the meantime are falling apart.’
She added: ‘I feel really pleased that we have done as well as we have and I think that we are on the verge of government and that is fantastic.’