Andrew Castle: Has Jeremy Corbyn Taken Labour As Far As He Can?

5 May 2018, 18:22 | Updated: 5 May 2018, 18:42

Andrew Castle wonders whether Jeremy Corbyn has led his party as far as he can after Labour's result falls short of expectations.

Andrew Castle was left questioning Jeremy Corbyn's position as leader of the Labour Party after its lower-than-expected performance at the local elections this week.

"What can the Labour Party do to break the conservative stranglehold?" asked Castle.

He said: "I mean the complexities of Brexit, the breast screening scandal, Windrush and the resignation of Amber Rudd it has been a really tough time.

"And yet Corbyn did not on this occasion make the sort of inroads that were expected."

Former Downing Street spin doctor Alastair Campbell said that nobody could take comfort from Labour's performance at the local elections this week.

While the party made some gains, it failed to win key target seats.

"If you won't even admit that these results are not as good as they should be, that they are not a winning position for the general election, then I'm sorry," he said.

"If you won't even make the analysis and try and come up with the answers, then frankly I don't think you deserve to win."

But Mr Campbell blasted the Labour leader's team for a "terrible complacency about their attitude to politics".

He said: "They basically think 'if only everyone would just shut up, get behind Jeremy and say that he's marvellous, then Labour's going to waltz into power'.

"Politics does not work like that."