Jeremy Corbyn said no Labour MP would dream of leaving the "family" that put them in Parliament, in an attack on rebels.
Dismissing the idea of a party split in a scathing
response after setting out his 10-policy leadership vision, Mr Corbyn
suggested Labour MPs who quit would be betraying the people who voted
for them.
When questioned after a speech in Dagenham about the suggestions Labour rebels could quit and form a new party if he was re-elected as leader, Mr Corbyn said: "I'm sure no Labour MP would even dream of walking away from the family of the Labour Party.
"The family of the Labour Party that helped to put them into Parliament in order to represent Labour views and Labour values."
It came after Mr Corbyn's leadership rival Owen Smith warned the
Labour party could "bust apart and disappear". He has made the survival
of the party a key element of his campaign for the top job.
Mr Corbyn's close ally, the shadow chancellor John McDonnell, said Mr Smith must stop "blackmailing" party members with the threat of a split.
Mr McDonnell told Sky News it was "not right" for Labour members voting in the contest to be given an ultimatum and called for a return to an "amicable" and "comradely" contest - before branding Mr Smith the "disunity candidate".
:: Smith Criticised Over 'Smash' May 'Back On Her Heels' Comment
He told Sky News: "We shouldn't be going into a leadership election saying: 'Vote for me or some of my supporters will split the party.' People don't want to be blackmailed in that way. That's not right.
"What Owen Smith needs to do is call this off all together by saying:
look, whatever the result of the election, if Jeremy Corbyn does get
reselected he will serve under Jeremy Corbyn - and to say to his
supporters, who are talking up this split, just stop it immediately and
let's work together."
Damning Mr Smith with faint praise he added: "Owen's a great guy. I like him a lot. He is one of the most ambitious career politicians I've met. I think we've moved on from that style of politics."
:: What We Know About Owen Smith
But Mr McDonnell said the party would not split and denied that MPs who did not support Mr Corbyn had been threatened with deselection when the number of constituencies is cut later this year.
It comes as Mr Smith and Mr Corbyn preparLae to face each other at a
debate in Cardiff on Thursday night in front of party members.
Ahead of the contest, Mr Corbyn has unveiled his 10 pledges "programme" to rebuild Britain, including a £500bn investment scheme over seen by a national investment bank over the next decade.
:: Sky's Sophy Ridge On Why A Corbyn Victory Is Unlikely To Split Party
On Wednesday, Mr Smith set out his vision for the leadership, unveiling a "triple lock" of pensions overhaul, benefit changes and a higher minimum wage. Last week he made 25 policy pledges.
Mr McDonnell accused Mr Smith of "advocating the policies that Jeremy
Corbyn was elected on" and there is overlap with the infrastructure
fund, a ban on zero hours contracts and benefit changes.
Mr Smith has acknowledged the similarities but says Mr Corbyn has failed to sell them to the public effectively enough to win an election, something he claims he could do.
As Mr Corbyn and Mr Smith prepare to go head-to-head, the latest court case over the leadership voting process is due to be heard later at the High Court.
A crowd-funded group of party members are challenging the decision of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee to ban £3 supporters from voting if they did not join by 12 January unless they pay a further £25.
Meanwhile, a YouGov poll shows the Conservatives enjoying their biggest lead over Labour since November 2009.
When questioned after a speech in Dagenham about the suggestions Labour rebels could quit and form a new party if he was re-elected as leader, Mr Corbyn said: "I'm sure no Labour MP would even dream of walking away from the family of the Labour Party.
"The family of the Labour Party that helped to put them into Parliament in order to represent Labour views and Labour values."
Video:
McDonnell: Owen's A Great Guy But...
Mr Corbyn's close ally, the shadow chancellor John McDonnell, said Mr Smith must stop "blackmailing" party members with the threat of a split.
Mr McDonnell told Sky News it was "not right" for Labour members voting in the contest to be given an ultimatum and called for a return to an "amicable" and "comradely" contest - before branding Mr Smith the "disunity candidate".
:: Smith Criticised Over 'Smash' May 'Back On Her Heels' Comment
He told Sky News: "We shouldn't be going into a leadership election saying: 'Vote for me or some of my supporters will split the party.' People don't want to be blackmailed in that way. That's not right.
Video:
'Very Real Danger' Of Labour Split
Damning Mr Smith with faint praise he added: "Owen's a great guy. I like him a lot. He is one of the most ambitious career politicians I've met. I think we've moved on from that style of politics."
:: What We Know About Owen Smith
But Mr McDonnell said the party would not split and denied that MPs who did not support Mr Corbyn had been threatened with deselection when the number of constituencies is cut later this year.
Ahead of the contest, Mr Corbyn has unveiled his 10 pledges "programme" to rebuild Britain, including a £500bn investment scheme over seen by a national investment bank over the next decade.
:: Sky's Sophy Ridge On Why A Corbyn Victory Is Unlikely To Split Party
On Wednesday, Mr Smith set out his vision for the leadership, unveiling a "triple lock" of pensions overhaul, benefit changes and a higher minimum wage. Last week he made 25 policy pledges.
Mr Smith has acknowledged the similarities but says Mr Corbyn has failed to sell them to the public effectively enough to win an election, something he claims he could do.
As Mr Corbyn and Mr Smith prepare to go head-to-head, the latest court case over the leadership voting process is due to be heard later at the High Court.
A crowd-funded group of party members are challenging the decision of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee to ban £3 supporters from voting if they did not join by 12 January unless they pay a further £25.
Meanwhile, a YouGov poll shows the Conservatives enjoying their biggest lead over Labour since November 2009.
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