Jeremy Corbyn: 2016 will put Labour on course for Government

The Labour leader said he would tackle David Cameron’s Government “much more” on cuts to local councils and a lack of investment.

Mr Corbyn, whose leadership will face a series of electoral tests in May, said 2016 will be “the start of a journey to deliver a Labour government” in 2020.

In a New Year video message filmed in his Commons office, Mr Corbyn claimed credit for a series of Government U-turns since winning the leadership of his party in September.

He said: “I was elected leader of the Labour Party three months ago on a mandate for change and during this last three months we have challenged the Government on working tax credits and defeated them, we challenged them on cuts to the police service and defeated them, we challenged them on running the prison service in Saudi Arabia and we defeated them.

“We have to challenge them much more next year - much more on their cuts to local government and their lack of investment in the needs of our economy and our people. We want to build an economy fit for the 21st century.”

Mr Corbyn passed his first electoral test in the Oldham West and Royton by-election, where the safe Labour seat was retained with a majority of more than 10,000, but his leadership will come under intense pressure if the party fails to perform in local contests in England, the London mayoral race and elections for the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament.

The Labour leader insisted 2016 “will be the start of a journey to deliver a Labour government in 2020 - a Labour government that will deliver a fairer, more just, more prosperous society that we can all enjoy. A society that works for all, not just the few”.