Austin hits back over claims he is 'trapped in a New Labour time warp'
Ian Austin has hit back over claims that he is 'trapped in a New Labour time warp' following his criticism of Jeremy Corbyn.
The Dudley North MP branded Mr Corbyn unfit to lead Labour due to his 'extreme views' and accused him of turning the party away from the mainstream.
In response Chris Williamson, the MP for Derby and a key ally of the Labour leadership, argued that Mr Corbyn had 'reconnected' the party with ordinary people.
He denied Labour's policies were 'hard left', describing them as 'incredibly moderate and mainstream'. He said Labour's 'common sense socialism' would give the party 'a huge advantage at the next election because people are sick to death of the existing status quo that is failing millions'.
Mr Williamson said Mr Austin's critique 'betrays the fact that he is trapped in a New Labour time warp', and added: "Contrary to Ian’s protestations, Jeremy Corbyn has been the saviour of the Labour Party."
Mr Austin, who has repeatedly criticised Mr Corbyn's leadership, told the Express & Star that Mr Williamson was wrong to suggest things were 'going really well' for Labour.
He harked back to the position of the party in 2010 when he was Minister for Homelessness and 'rough sleeping was a fraction of what it is today'.
Mr Austin added: "If we want to end the scandal of rough sleeping, lift people out of poverty and improve living standards for people in the Black Country we need a Labour Government, but we lost the last election and did not do nearly well enough in the recent local elections when we lost Chris's council in Derby, for example.
"So we are not on course to deliver that for the people who rely on us.
"There is no point insisting that it is all going really well when we should be listening to people in places like Dudley and Derby and asking ourselves why we are not doing much better."
