At the recent UK election, it was not only the much-discussed ‘white working-class’ that made a statement. &nbsp;One of Britain’s largest minorities also mobilised to influence, and then oppose Her Majesty’s Opposition. The backlash against Labour was, however, only the latest act in a play that saw the mainly Indian, ‘dharmic communities’ (Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains) move steadily from being Labour aligned in the 60s-80s toward the Tory camp today, though to different extents.&nbsp;

This does not, however, necessarily mean these communities fit snugly within the right-wing of British politics. In fact, when it comes to deep-seated values and long-term world vision, they may find more in common with Labour than the Conservatives. It is these commonalities that Labour must capitalise on to win back one of Britain’s most important constituencies. As a South Asian-origin Labor candidate in Australia’s election, I drew on these to recruit hundreds of Asian volunteers, many who had been critical of Australian Labour’s positions on South Asia.

Foreign Policy

Labour’s messaging on Kashmir lit the fuse which resulted in the Hindu community rallying against the party. In addressing this, the Conservatives’ position regarding Kashmir, and India more broadly, must be exposed by Labour as essentially temporary and transactional. For as long as New Delhi continues to be seen as a partner and potential bulwark against China by the US foreign policy establishment, the British Conservatives will follow suit. This will last as long as the current global dynamics between Great Powers remain, that is the US/West at number one with China threatening that position, and India at number three. The impermanence of such alliances has long been acknowledged by Indian foreign policymakers themselves.&nbsp;

The establishment media’s daily-repeated lie that Corbyn is ‘soft on terrorism’ struck a particular chord with dharmic communities. This complemented Tory politicians’ identity politics-driven pronouncements that the Conservatives supported India because of shared democratic values, or as a partner against the spectre of Islamist extremism. These could be shot down with constant reference to the Conservatives’ cosiest ally in the developing world – a country that is arguably the least democratic and most extremist – Saudi Arabia, whom they materially support through sales of lethal weapons. It was within our lifetimes that the conservative governments of Reagan and Thatcher allied with Saudi and Pakistan to support the Islamist Mujahedeen against the secular government of Afghanistan and its backers the USSR and India. More recently, from Blair’s Iraq catastrophe that spawned ISIS, to Cameron’s Libya intervention that helped ISIS and Al Qaeda take over the country, to Tories’ eagerness for regime-change elsewhere, it has been Conservative and Centrist policies that assisted jihadists via instability, while opposing it all has been Corbyn and successive Indian governments.&nbsp;

Far more enduring and fundamental at this historical moment, are the two parties’ visions of the future world order. The UK Conservatives, like much of the foreign policy establishment, cannot envision a future without full spectrum Western dominance and values leadership. This presents a fundamental clash with the worldview of India’s leadership, both present and past, including the BJP, Congress, Delhi’s foreign policy establishment, and much of India’s population. They view that India should ultimately become a Great Power, at least an equal to the West and China. Becoming a junior partner in an anti-China, Western-led coalition is not part of the plan. Whether it is branded as ‘non-alignment’, as, during the Cold War, or ‘strategic autonomy’ as it is called now, India still follows an independent foreign policy. These positions are also likely to be reflected in those segments of the British Hindu community who would alter their vote based on a party's policy towards India.

Such a worldview finds less obvious contradiction within Labour. &nbsp;The Party prioritises international law and greater equality amongst nations. Labour focuses on human rights for all peoples more than the need to continue Western dominance.&nbsp;

Closer alignment between Indian and Labour worldviews is borne out in major global debates. Whether it is military interventions in Iraq, Libya and Syria, or how to respond to Ukraine, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Cuba, Russia and even apartheid South Africa, Corbyn’s positions have more closely matched India’s (under both Congress and BJP) than have the Tories’ positions (and most of Western media). The current wave of Western Russiaphobia is viewed sceptically by India, its diaspora and Corbyn supporters inside Labour. Even India’s growing military trade with Israel has not prevented New Delhi simultaneously strengthening ties with Iran.

Many of the Hindu diasporas criticised Labour’s Kashmir motion as interference in India’s affairs. The Party must highlight its evolution on the question of interventionism. Pre-Corbyn Labour had been dominated by interventionists, enthusiastic to mobilise Western military might to deliver human rights to those threatened by officially designated enemies e.g. Syrians, while studiously ignoring those persecuted by allies, e.g. Yemenis.&nbsp;

Today’s ascendant group within Labour, however, identifies with the global anti-interventionist trend stretching from Corbyn to Bernie Sanders, to Tulsi Gabbard (America’s only Hindu presidential candidate) and even early-stage Donald Trump.&nbsp;Again this sits more closely with the Indian Government for whom the principle of non-interference remains steadfast, as does tolerance of different types of regimes and the objective of making pragmatic friendships where possible.&nbsp;

The Indian leadership’s worldview is likely shared by much of the diaspora. This stems in part from an impressive knowledge of history and acute awareness of colonial exploitation. The diaspora’s thirst for this type of narrative led to Shashi Tharoor’s eloquent rebuke of Britain’s legacy in India at the Oxford Union going viral.&nbsp;

Social Values

Many basic values emerging from dharmic cultures are more in line with Labour than the Tories. On individualism versus collectivism, cultures of the subcontinent sit closer to socialist Labour than the laissez-fair capitalism that emerged from Protestantism. The diaspora is of course known for entrepreneurism. &nbsp;Voting for the Tories, however, is often based more in personal financial calculations, a reasonable approach to take, though not one rooted in deep ideological affinity. This may be spurred on by a feeling of not fully belonging within Britain, fuelled by decades of discrimination, though this is decreasing in younger generations. It is noteworthy that while the diaspora may vote Conservative for lower taxes, they simultaneously give heavily to charity for the needy in India. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The community’s emphasis on education too is not necessarily a slam dunk for Conservatives. A strong state that provides services like education and health to improve all of society, the model that has been instrumental in Asia’s success, is closer to Labour’s agenda than the Thatcherite, small-government Tories.

On the external-versus internal control spectrum, dharmic traditions weigh the impact of external factors on one’s circumstances more than Protestant culture. Similarly, Labour’s perspective understands that one’s life-situation is often the product of structural factors outside one’s control rather than personal vices.&nbsp;

Conceptions of interconnectedness with the natural environment, compassion toward animals, non-violence, pluralism and tolerance are all dharmic values which Labour policy matches more closely than the Tories – and values increasingly popular with the younger generation. Vegetarianism and veganism are increasingly politically relevant, both in BJP India and in Britain, and Jeremy Corbyn himself is a vegetarian.

The Party needs champions, including in Parliament, who can articulate these connections whilst also highlighting that it was the Left that fought over decades to create the level playing field that supported dharmic communities to excel. All minority shortlists for parliamentary selection, akin to those currently in place for gender-balance, may be an option.

Conclusion

While the Tories’ respectful silence over Kashmir helped solidify the alliance we now see with dharmic communities, the tectonic shifts occurring in the global order already posit its expiry date. Meanwhile, there are profound reasons for dharmic communities to return to Labour. &nbsp;A Labour Party that appeals to deeply shared values combined with a hard-nosed, anti-interventionist foreign policy could capture not only the minds, but also the hearts of this increasingly important diaspora. &nbsp;After all, even the most ardent anti-Labourite could not deny that if we rewound time 100 years, it would be Corbyn out in the street protesting against Britain’s colonial rule of India and Boris touting the civilizing influence of Englishmen upon the natives.&nbsp;

&nbsp;(Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

At the recent UK election, it was not only the much-discussed ‘white working-class’ that made a statement. One of Britain’s largest minorities also mobilised to influence, and then oppose Her Majesty’s Opposition.

At the recent UK election, it was not only the much-discussed ‘white working-class’ that made a statement. One of Britain’s largest minorities also mobilised to influence, and then oppose Her Majesty’s Opposition. The backlash against Labour was, however, only the latest act in a play that saw the mainly Indian, ‘dharmic communities’ (Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains) move steadily from being Labour aligned in the 60s-80s toward the Tory camp today, though to different extents. This does not, however, necessarily mean these communities fit snugly within the right-wing of British politics. In fact, when it comes to deep-seated values and long-term world vision, they may find more in common with Labour than the Conservatives. It is these commonalities that Labour must capitalise on to win back one of Britain’s most important constituencies. As a South Asian-origin Labor candidate in Australia’s election, I drew on these to recruit hundreds of Asian volunteers, many who had been critical of Australian Labour’s positions on South Asia. Foreign Policy Labour’s messaging on Kashmir lit the fuse which resulted in the Hindu community rallying against the party. In addressing this, the Conservatives’ position regarding Kashmir, and India more broadly, must be exposed by Labour as essentially temporary and transactional. For as long as New Delhi continues to be seen as a partner and potential bulwark against China by the US foreign policy establishment, the British Conservatives will follow suit. This will last as long as the current global dynamics between Great Powers remain, that is the US/West at number one with China threatening that position, and India at number three. The impermanence of such alliances has long been acknowledged by Indian foreign policymakers themselves. The establishment media’s daily-repeated lie that Corbyn is ‘soft on terrorism’ struck a particular chord with dharmic communities. This complemented Tory politicians’ identity politics-driven pronouncements that the Conservatives supported India because of shared democratic values, or as a partner against the spectre of Islamist extremism. These could be shot down with constant reference to the Conservatives’ cosiest ally in the developing world – a country that is arguably the least democratic and most extremist – Saudi Arabia, whom they materially support through sales of lethal weapons. It was within our lifetimes that the conservative governments of Reagan and Thatcher allied with Saudi and Pakistan to support the Islamist Mujahedeen against the secular government of Afghanistan and its backers the USSR and India. More recently, from Blair’s Iraq catastrophe that spawned ISIS, to Cameron’s Libya intervention that helped ISIS and Al Qaeda take over the country, to Tories’ eagerness for regime-change elsewhere, it has been Conservative and Centrist policies that assisted jihadists via instability, while opposing it all has been Corbyn and successive Indian governments. Far more enduring and fundamental at this historical moment, are the two parties’ visions of the future world order. The UK Conservatives, like much of the foreign policy establishment, cannot envision a future without full spectrum Western dominance and values leadership. This presents a fundamental clash with the worldview of India’s leadership, both present and past, including the BJP, Congress, Delhi’s foreign policy establishment, and much of India’s population. They view that India should ultimately become a Great Power, at least an equal to the West and China. Becoming a junior partner in an anti-China, Western-led coalition is not part of the plan. Whether it is branded as ‘non-alignment’, as, during the Cold War, or ‘strategic autonomy’ as it is called now, India still follows an independent foreign policy. These positions are also likely to be reflected in those segments of the British Hindu community who would alter their vote based on a party's policy towards India. Such a worldview finds less obvious contradiction within Labour. The Party prioritises international law and greater equality amongst nations. Labour focuses on human rights for all peoples more than the need to continue Western dominance. Closer alignment between Indian and Labour worldviews is borne out in major global debates. Whether it is military interventions in Iraq, Libya and Syria, or how to respond to Ukraine, Venezuela, Yugoslavia, Cuba, Russia and even apartheid South Africa, Corbyn’s positions have more closely matched India’s (under both Congress and BJP) than have the Tories’ positions (and most of Western media). The current wave of Western Russiaphobia is viewed sceptically by India, its diaspora and Corbyn supporters inside Labour. Even India’s growing military trade with Israel has not prevented New Delhi simultaneously strengthening ties with Iran. Many of the Hindu diasporas criticised Labour’s Kashmir motion as interference in India’s affairs. The Party must highlight its evolution on the question of interventionism. Pre-Corbyn Labour had been dominated by interventionists, enthusiastic to mobilise Western military might to deliver human rights to those threatened by officially designated enemies e.g. Syrians, while studiously ignoring those persecuted by allies, e.g. Yemenis. Today’s ascendant group within Labour, however, identifies with the global anti-interventionist trend stretching from Corbyn to Bernie Sanders, to Tulsi Gabbard (America’s only Hindu presidential candidate) and even early-stage Donald Trump. Again this sits more closely with the Indian Government for whom the principle of non-interference remains steadfast, as does tolerance of different types of regimes and the objective of making pragmatic friendships where possible. The Indian leadership’s worldview is likely shared by much of the diaspora. This stems in part from an impressive knowledge of history and acute awareness of colonial exploitation. The diaspora’s thirst for this type of narrative led to Shashi Tharoor’s eloquent rebuke of Britain’s legacy in India at the Oxford Union going viral. Social Values Many basic values emerging from dharmic cultures are more in line with Labour than the Tories. On individualism versus collectivism, cultures of the subcontinent sit closer to socialist Labour than the laissez-fair capitalism that emerged from Protestantism. The diaspora is of course known for entrepreneurism. Voting for the Tories, however, is often based more in personal financial calculations, a reasonable approach to take, though not one rooted in deep ideological affinity. This may be spurred on by a feeling of not fully belonging within Britain, fuelled by decades of discrimination, though this is decreasing in younger generations. It is noteworthy that while the diaspora may vote Conservative for lower taxes, they simultaneously give heavily to charity for the needy in India. The community’s emphasis on education too is not necessarily a slam dunk for Conservatives. A strong state that provides services like education and health to improve all of society, the model that has been instrumental in Asia’s success, is closer to Labour’s agenda than the Thatcherite, small-government Tories. On the external-versus internal control spectrum, dharmic traditions weigh the impact of external factors on one’s circumstances more than Protestant culture. Similarly, Labour’s perspective understands that one’s life-situation is often the product of structural factors outside one’s control rather than personal vices. Conceptions of interconnectedness with the natural environment, compassion toward animals, non-violence, pluralism and tolerance are all dharmic values which Labour policy matches more closely than the Tories – and values increasingly popular with the younger generation. Vegetarianism and veganism are increasingly politically relevant, both in BJP India and in Britain, and Jeremy Corbyn himself is a vegetarian. The Party needs champions, including in Parliament, who can articulate these connections whilst also highlighting that it was the Left that fought over decades to create the level playing field that supported dharmic communities to excel. All minority shortlists for parliamentary selection, akin to those currently in place for gender-balance, may be an option. Conclusion While the Tories’ respectful silence over Kashmir helped solidify the alliance we now see with dharmic communities, the tectonic shifts occurring in the global order already posit its expiry date. Meanwhile, there are profound reasons for dharmic communities to return to Labour. A Labour Party that appeals to deeply shared values combined with a hard-nosed, anti-interventionist foreign policy could capture not only the minds, but also the hearts of this increasingly important diaspora. After all, even the most ardent anti-Labourite could not deny that if we rewound time 100 years, it would be Corbyn out in the street protesting against Britain’s colonial rule of India and Boris touting the civilizing influence of Englishmen upon the natives. (Views expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

UK Labour party must talk values to win back the Asian community

Challenger Angela Eagle withdrew from the contest to lead Britain&#39;s main opposition Labour Party on Tuesday and backed rival Owen Smith in a unity bid to oust embattled leader Jeremy Corbyn. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m withdrawing from this race and supporting Owen,&quot; Eagle told journalists in parliament&nbsp;after Smith secured more nominations from the party&#39;s members of the British and European parliaments. 
 
Smith will now go forward alone to fight socialist stalwart Corbyn in a ballot of party members, trade unionists and registered supporters which ends on September 24. 
 
Labour is in deep crisis with Corbyn wildly popular among the party&#39;s grassroots, but deeply at odds with an overwhelming majority of his MPs. 
 
They believe he is an incapable leader driving the party towards another crushing general election defeat in 2020 with an uncompromisingly leftist platform that cannot win over swing voters who backed the Conservatives at the 2015 election. 
 
Eagle was the first to announce a challenge in the aftermath of Britain&#39;s June 23 referendum vote to leave the European Union. 
 
Labour&#39;s policy was for Britain to stay in the EU but Corbyn, who has a long history of euro scepticism, was accused of leading a half-hearted campaign that failed to stir traditional Labour-voting areas. Corbyn lost the support of three-quarters of the party&#39;s MPs in a subsequent vote of confidence on June 28 but refused to step down, triggering Eagle, and then Smith, to come forward.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We have a Labour Party at the moment that is not working. We&#39;ve got a leader that doesn&#39;t have the confidence of his members of parliament and isn&#39;t reaching out to the country,&quot; Eagle said. 
 
&quot;We need to have a strong and united Labour Party so we can be a good opposition, take the fight to the Conservative government and heal our country. 
 
&quot;So I am announcing tonight that I will be supporting Owen.&quot; 
 
&quot;We are going to be in lock-step together arguing for an effective, united Labour Party.&quot; 
 
Leadership challengers needed to get the nominations of 20 per cent of the party&#39;s MPs and MEPs. 
 
The party&#39;s governing National Executive Committee decided that Corbyn would automatically go onto the ballot: the Labour rule book did not say whether the leader also needed nominations -- something Corbyn would struggle to get. 
 
Smith received 88 nominations -- way more than the 51 needed. His backers included former party leader Ed Miliband and former foreign minister Margaret Beckett. 
 
It is understood Eagle withdrew to prevent the publication of the names on her list in the hope of avoiding creating rival camps among anti-Corbyn MPs. 
 
The nominations-gathering process officially closes at 1600 GMT on Wednesday, triggering the formal contest.Labour had been out of power since 1979 until prime minister Tony Blair led them to three straight general election victories from 1997, on a centrist platform. 
 
They have been out of office since 2010. 
 
&quot;We do need a new generation of Labour men and women to take this party forward and get us ready for government once more. We&#39;ve been on the sidelines for too long,&quot; Smith said. 
 
He said Eagle would be his &quot;right hand woman&quot;, adding: &quot;I absolutely cannot do without her.&quot; 
 
&quot;It&#39;s time to move on from Jeremy.&quot; 
 
&quot;The country has to look at us and say, &#39;we can imagine these people running our country, and doing it better than the Conservatives&#39;.&quot; 
 
Corbyn was elected in September with 60 per cent backing from Labour members, trade unionists and registered supporters. 
 
A YouGov poll for The Times newspaper put Corbyn on 56 per cent support, with 34 per cent for Smith in a straight, two-way battle. 
 
The leadership contest has been marred by incidents of violence and intimidation. A brick was hurled through Eagle&#39;s office window. 
 
The incident followed repeated complaints by Labour MPs -- particularly women -- that they have been subjected to threats and abuse from Corbyn&#39;s grassroots supporters if they speak out against the party leader. 
 
(AFP)

Smith will now go forward alone to fight socialist stalwart Corbyn in a ballot of party members, trade unionists, and registered supporters

Challenger Angela Eagle withdrew from the contest to lead Britain's main opposition Labour Party on Tuesday and backed rival Owen Smith in a unity bid to oust embattled leader Jeremy Corbyn. "I'm withdrawing from this race and supporting Owen," Eagle told journalists in parliament after Smith secured more nominations from the party's members of the British and European parliaments. Smith will now go forward alone to fight socialist stalwart Corbyn in a ballot of party members, trade unionists and registered supporters which ends on September 24. Labour is in deep crisis with Corbyn wildly popular among the party's grassroots, but deeply at odds with an overwhelming majority of his MPs. They believe he is an incapable leader driving the party towards another crushing general election defeat in 2020 with an uncompromisingly leftist platform that cannot win over swing voters who backed the Conservatives at the 2015 election. Eagle was the first to announce a challenge in the aftermath of Britain's June 23 referendum vote to leave the European Union. Labour's policy was for Britain to stay in the EU but Corbyn, who has a long history of euro scepticism, was accused of leading a half-hearted campaign that failed to stir traditional Labour-voting areas. Corbyn lost the support of three-quarters of the party's MPs in a subsequent vote of confidence on June 28 but refused to step down, triggering Eagle, and then Smith, to come forward. "We have a Labour Party at the moment that is not working. We've got a leader that doesn't have the confidence of his members of parliament and isn't reaching out to the country," Eagle said. "We need to have a strong and united Labour Party so we can be a good opposition, take the fight to the Conservative government and heal our country. "So I am announcing tonight that I will be supporting Owen." "We are going to be in lock-step together arguing for an effective, united Labour Party." Leadership challengers needed to get the nominations of 20 per cent of the party's MPs and MEPs. The party's governing National Executive Committee decided that Corbyn would automatically go onto the ballot: the Labour rule book did not say whether the leader also needed nominations -- something Corbyn would struggle to get. Smith received 88 nominations -- way more than the 51 needed. His backers included former party leader Ed Miliband and former foreign minister Margaret Beckett. It is understood Eagle withdrew to prevent the publication of the names on her list in the hope of avoiding creating rival camps among anti-Corbyn MPs. The nominations-gathering process officially closes at 1600 GMT on Wednesday, triggering the formal contest.Labour had been out of power since 1979 until prime minister Tony Blair led them to three straight general election victories from 1997, on a centrist platform. They have been out of office since 2010. "We do need a new generation of Labour men and women to take this party forward and get us ready for government once more. We've been on the sidelines for too long," Smith said. He said Eagle would be his "right hand woman", adding: "I absolutely cannot do without her." "It's time to move on from Jeremy." "The country has to look at us and say, 'we can imagine these people running our country, and doing it better than the Conservatives'." Corbyn was elected in September with 60 per cent backing from Labour members, trade unionists and registered supporters. A YouGov poll for The Times newspaper put Corbyn on 56 per cent support, with 34 per cent for Smith in a straight, two-way battle. The leadership contest has been marred by incidents of violence and intimidation. A brick was hurled through Eagle's office window. The incident followed repeated complaints by Labour MPs -- particularly women -- that they have been subjected to threats and abuse from Corbyn's grassroots supporters if they speak out against the party leader. (AFP)

Angela Eagle drops out of UK Labour leader race

A second candidate joined the race on Wednesday to try to unseat Britain&#39;s opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is battling a party revolt in the wake of the Brexit vote. 
 
&quot;I will stand in this election and I will do the decent thing and fight Jeremy Corbyn on the issues,&quot; Labour lawmaker Owen Smith told the BBC. 
 
He will join fellow MP Angela Eagle in trying to wrest the party leadership from the veteran socialist, who has refused to quit despite a major rebellion by his MPs. 
 
The winner of the contest, which will formally get underway with an announcement of the timetable on Thursday, is expected to be crowned in September. 
 
Smith said he had decided to stand after seeing a &quot;dramatic collapse of faith and confidence in Jeremy&quot; over the last couple of weeks. 
 
Many moderate Labour MPs have never reconciled themselves to Corbyn&#39;s election as leader last September secured thanks to strong support among ordinary party members. 
 
They moved against him in the wake of Britain&#39;s shock June 23 vote to leave the European Union -- an outcome deplored by most of the parliamentary party. 
 
Three-quarters of Labour MPs backed a vote of no confidence in Corbyn on June 28, accusing him of lacklustre leadership in the campaign which culminated with many longtime Labour voters in underprivileged areas defying the party line and backing Brexit. 
 
Many party grandees also fear he would be unable to win a general election if one were called early, although incoming prime minister Theresa May, who takes over from David Cameron later Wednesday, has ruled out an early vote. 
 
Late Tuesday, Corbyn won a first victory over his critics after the party&#39;s executive committee ruled he would automatically be included on the leadership ballot. 
 
The decision means that -- unlike his challengers -- he does not need the required 51 nominations from Labour MPs or members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to stand. 
 
Smith, a former BBC radio producer seen as more centrist than Corbyn, has only been a member of parliament since 2010, representing the Welsh constituency of Pontypridd. 
 
But the 46-year-old has been a member of the Labour party since he was 16, and was special advisor to Paul Murphy, the Labour government minister in charge of Wales and then Northern Ireland, between 2002 and 2005. 
 
After a stint working as a media advisor to pharmaceutical group Pfizer, he became an MP when Labour moved into opposition&nbsp;and became its spokesman on Welsh affairs. 
 
He appeared in a list of possible candidates to replace outgoing leader Ed Miliband following Labour&#39;s second successive general election defeat last year. 
 
But he did not step forward then and was named shadow work and pensions minister under Corbyn in September 2015. 
 
(AFP)

Angela Eagle is the other MP trying to wrest the party leadership from the veteran socialist

A second candidate joined the race on Wednesday to try to unseat Britain's opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is battling a party revolt in the wake of the Brexit vote. "I will stand in this election and I will do the decent thing and fight Jeremy Corbyn on the issues," Labour lawmaker Owen Smith told the BBC. He will join fellow MP Angela Eagle in trying to wrest the party leadership from the veteran socialist, who has refused to quit despite a major rebellion by his MPs. The winner of the contest, which will formally get underway with an announcement of the timetable on Thursday, is expected to be crowned in September. Smith said he had decided to stand after seeing a "dramatic collapse of faith and confidence in Jeremy" over the last couple of weeks. Many moderate Labour MPs have never reconciled themselves to Corbyn's election as leader last September secured thanks to strong support among ordinary party members. They moved against him in the wake of Britain's shock June 23 vote to leave the European Union -- an outcome deplored by most of the parliamentary party. Three-quarters of Labour MPs backed a vote of no confidence in Corbyn on June 28, accusing him of lacklustre leadership in the campaign which culminated with many longtime Labour voters in underprivileged areas defying the party line and backing Brexit. Many party grandees also fear he would be unable to win a general election if one were called early, although incoming prime minister Theresa May, who takes over from David Cameron later Wednesday, has ruled out an early vote. Late Tuesday, Corbyn won a first victory over his critics after the party's executive committee ruled he would automatically be included on the leadership ballot. The decision means that -- unlike his challengers -- he does not need the required 51 nominations from Labour MPs or members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to stand. Smith, a former BBC radio producer seen as more centrist than Corbyn, has only been a member of parliament since 2010, representing the Welsh constituency of Pontypridd. But the 46-year-old has been a member of the Labour party since he was 16, and was special advisor to Paul Murphy, the Labour government minister in charge of Wales and then Northern Ireland, between 2002 and 2005. After a stint working as a media advisor to pharmaceutical group Pfizer, he became an MP when Labour moved into opposition and became its spokesman on Welsh affairs. He appeared in a list of possible candidates to replace outgoing leader Ed Miliband following Labour's second successive general election defeat last year. But he did not step forward then and was named shadow work and pensions minister under Corbyn in September 2015. (AFP)

Owen Smith joins race to unseat Labour leader Corbyn