Conservative MP outlines TWO fundamental issues Labour faces in rebuilding the party
THE Labour Party must address "two fundamental issues" before it can contemplate getting back into power according to a Conservative MP.
Labour leadership: MP outlines 'fundamental issues' with party
Richard Holden, the Conservative MP for North West Durham, told Express.co.uk that Labour will have a "real problem" moving forward without dealing with two fundamental issues. Mr Holden outlined that Labour needs to "learn the lessons of the last election" in order to progress. He added Labour must also "get to grips" with the fact that some of its traditional voters have "left them".
Mr Holden said: "It is my job to keep Labour out of power as long as possible but quite frankly they are doing quite a good job of it themselves.
"I think they face two fundamental issues at however they go at this leadership election.
"One is that they don’t learn the lesson of the last election.
"I think if they go with somebody like Keir Starmer then they are not going to move on from that Brexit debate.
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"They are going to be just focusing again on their London, metropolitan elite.
"They are going to be ignoring the voters who are their traditional base.
"So until they can get to grips with the fact that their voters have left them I think they are going to have a real problem."
Prior to the 2019 general election, the constituency of North West Durham had never had a Tory MP.
Corbyn didn't lead a 'functioning opposition' claims Tory MP
The Labour Party had held North West Durham since its creation in 1950.
North West Durham was not the only northern constituency that elected a Conservative representative for the first time in the 2019 December general election.
Bishop Auckland and Blyth Valley are other constituencies that have a Tory MP for the first time since their creation.
During the same interview with Express.co.uk, Mr Holden slammed Jeremy Corbyn for failing to provide the Government with an opposition that could "hold them to account".
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Mr Holden said: "It is important to get an Opposition who can hold the Government to account.
"I am going to be on the Public Accounts Committee which is also holding the Government and public spending to account to make sure people’s taxes are being spent properly.
"It is important for democracy that we have a functioning opposition and I don’t think we have seen that from Jeremy Corbyn over the last few years.
"I am not sure any of the leadership candidates who are in the race are the people ready to do that because they have all been so close to being part of the Shadow Cabinet at different times in the run-up to the last election."