Momentum boss Jon Lansman: Jeremy Corbyn 'won't resign before 2022'
The Labour leader "wants to be prime minister for a bit" according to the founder of his supporter group.
Tuesday 8 May 2018 12:30, UK
The founder of Momentum has insisted Jeremy Corbyn will not resign as Labour leader before 2022.
Jon Lansman claimed the next scheduled general election, in four years' time, will definitely see Mr Corbyn stand as a contender for Downing Street.
However, Momentum - created out of Mr Corbyn's successful Labour leadership campaign in 2015 - will "outlive" both the Labour leader and himself, Mr Lansman added.
Last week's local election results, in which Labour failed to live up to expectations of a major surge, prompted renewed speculation over the likelihood of Mr Corbyn continuing to lead Labour until the 2022 general election.
At that point, the Labour leader will be 73 and will have been in charge of his party for almost seven years.
But, in an interview with website Politico, Mr Lansman denied suggestions Mr Corbyn could stand down before the end of the current Parliament.
"There will not be any voluntary departure before the election," he said.
"I think he [Mr Corbyn] wants to be prime minister for a bit as well."
Despite his commitment to Mr Corbyn, Mr Lansman wants a future role for Momentum beyond acting as the Labour leader's staunchest supporters.
The group has firmly established itself within the party's structures despite criticism of activists as "entryists" plotting a takeover.
As well as calling for Momentum to be allowed to spend a greater amount of Labour's election campaign funds, Mr Lansman also suggested the group may adopt its own ideology and policies.
He said: "Over time, Jeremy will eventually go and if we survive we have to work out a new way of living without the same kind of commitment to the current leader."
Having been involved in Labour politics for more than three decades, and been an aide to former left-wing leadership challenger Toby Benn, Mr Lansman is determined to bring greater democracy for party activists under Mr Corbyn, to the detriment of MPs' decision-making powers.
He said: "We want to make sure it's democratic before he [Mr Corbyn] goes.
"He's of an age where he is incredibly fit and well today but who knows if he will be in six months' time.
"You cannot predict your health."
Mr Lansman sits on Labour's ruling body, the National Executive Committee, but abandoned a bid to become the party's general secretary earlier this year.