SOUTH Essex politicians h ave urged Jeremy Corbyn to unite the Labour Party, after he successfully retained the party’s leadership.

Mr Corbyn saw off a challenge from Owen Smith, after the former polled 313,209 votes, 61.8 per cent of the electorate compared with Mr Smith’s 193,229.

On the eve of the results being announced at the party’s special conference in Liverpool at the weekend, campaigners feared that Mr Corbyn was fast making the party “unelectable” under his stewardship.

Critics of Mr Corbyn have led calls for him to pull the party together and make inroads into the Tory majority.

Matthew Dent, chairman of Southend East Labour, says the party is finished.

Mr Dent tweeted: “So this is how the Labour party dies, to thunderous applause.”

Gavin Callaghan, leader of the Basildon Labour Group, has called for inspiration from Mr Corbyn.

He said: “I am disappointed that Owen Smith fell short of being elected leader of the Labour Party.

“My sincere hope now is that Jeremy Corbyn uses his victory today as a moment to reflect and inspire change in his own leadership of our party, his office and in the people he surrounds himself with.

“He has been elected to lead the whole party and not just the factions that agree with him.”

Joe Cooke, leader of Castle Point Labour, echoed Mr Callaghan’s calls for unity.

He said: “Before the election, I compared this to a football team.

“Jeremy is the manager, the MPs are the players. and we are the supporters. He clearly has the supporters, but he has to have the players to make it work.

“Going forward we have to rally around the leader and he has to overcome the comments about his lack of accessibility.”

Mr Cooke, who is attending the conference was also able to film Mr Corbyn delivering a message to the Labour Party’s Castle Point branch.

The Labour leader said: “Hello Castle Point, we are a party that invests in all communities, and as far as we concerned every community matters.

“We are reaching out to everyone, and it’s a very exciting time.

“Why not join the Labour Party and join us in our cause.”

However, Lewis Blaney, chairman of Basildon and District Momentum, a group supporting Mr Corbyn says victory has made him proud.

He said: “Jeremy now has an even bigger mandate than before leading the largest party in the UK and largest European left wing party, something I am proud to be a part of.”