By Chris McCall
A new political party launched by Jeremy Corbyn should be named the “Farage assistance group”, a former Labour leader has claimed. Neil Kinnock took a swipe today at plans to launch a new left-wing movement and said any 鈥渟plintering鈥 would 鈥渙nly be of assistance to the enemies of Labour鈥. Corbyn confirmed last week that discussions were ongoing to launch a new party after MP Zarah Sultana suddenly announced on social media she would be a co-leader. But there is no detail on when the party will be officially launched or whether it will contest next year’s Holyrood elections. Corbyn was suspended by Labour in 2020 and formally expelled from the party last year. His spell as leader included the disastrous 2019 general election result which saw Boris Johnson returned as PM. Kinnock, who resigned as Labour leader in 1992 after losing two general elections, was asked today how much of a threat he thought any new party could pose. “I understand they鈥檙e having a bit of difficulty over thinking of a name,” he replied. “In a comradely way, I鈥檇 suggest one. It would be the Farage assistance group.鈥 He said that a 鈥渄ivision鈥 in the 鈥渁nti-right wing vote can only assist the parties of the right, the Conservatives, especially now under Mrs Badenoch and under Farage the Reform party, “So the splintering (鈥) offered by a new party of the left (鈥) can only be of assistance to the enemies of Labour, of the working-class 鈥 the people who have no means of sustaining themselves other than the sale of their labour by hand and by brain 鈥 and can only be of benefit to the egos of those who are running such a party.” Neil Findlay, a former Scottish Labour MSP who resigned from the party earlier this year, insisted a left movement would be welcomed. He told the Record: “People need an alternative to the establishment parties who have failed us for years. Labour, the Tories, the SNP, Lib Dems and Greens have all been in Government at a Scottish or UK level at some point over the last 20 years. “All have overseen growing inequality, declining public services and soaring rates of poverty. A new party of the left has to offer a radical and credible alternative to this record of failure. I wish those involved well and will watch its progress with interest.” To sign up to the Daily R ecord Politics newsletter, click here