Labour ready for snap general election, says Jeremy Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn - credit PA

Labour is prepared to fight a snap general election if an early one is called in the aftermath of the EU referendum, the party's leader Jeremy Corbyn has said.

Speaking a pro-EU rally in Manchester today the Corbyn said Labour was "very, very ready" amid mounting speculation that the Conservatives will try to go to the polls before the current parliament is due to end in 2020.

David Cameron has insisted he will not stand for Prime Minister again and many inside his own party believe he will have to quit if the UK votes for Brexit on Thursday. 

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It has been suggested his successor as Tory leader could then seek his or her own mandate by going to the country. This is on top of police investigations into spending in several constituencies by the Conservatives in last year's general election which could lead to MPs being sanctioned and the possibility of a number of by-elections threatening the Government's working majority of 16.

Although the Fixed Terms Parliament Act says that there must usually be five years between elections, that can be over-ruled if two-thirds of MPs back a motion calling an early poll.

At today's rally, Corbyn was asked if Labour was ready to fight a snap election if it happens.

He said: "It's not up to me to intrude into private grief in the Tory party. We will have to see what happens on Friday.

"All we know is the position we're going to be putting is one of improving living standards and challenging the austerity budget.

"If the Government can't continue forever and it ends up deciding it needs to somehow or other navigate around the Fixed Terms Parliament Act in order to have a general election a little sooner, all I can say is we're very, very ready for that."

However Holyrood's sister site PoliticsHome revealed last month that the Conservatives have raised around £9 million more than Labour in donations over the past 12 months.

A Labour source said: "The Tories raised 50 per cent more in the first three months of 2016 than in the first three months of 2011. It makes you wonder whether they are gearing up for a snap election."