I HAVE been appalled at recent attacks on the Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

They are attacks on Labour Party members and Labour Party democracy itself.

Labour lost two General Elections under Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband and neither of them had to face the level of hostility and opposition that Jeremy Corbyn has had to endure from the moment he was nominated last year.

People need to remember that Jeremy Corbyn was elected Labour leader only 10 months ago with a huge 60 per cent majority.

At a time when membership levels had hit rock bottom, Jeremy Corbyn and his campaign helped to double party membership. This included many thousands of young people who had not been active in politics before.

Despite previous reservations about the European Union, Jeremy Corbyn threw himself into the referendum campaign which in line with party policy was in favour of the UK's continued membership of the EU. In doing this he helped to put forward a progressive case to Remain based on the need to campaign for reform.

On June 13, Angela Eagle complemented Jeremy Corbyn, saying "Jeremy is up and down the country, pursuing an itinerary that would make a 25-year-old tired, he hasn't stopped".

In the aftermath of the referendum, with a clear vote to leave and David Cameron and the Tories in crisis it was not the time for Labour MPs to attack the party leader.

I campaigned for the UK to remain in the EU. The fact is, however difficult it may be, we need to accept the referendum result and move forward. That's democracy.

The party needs be united and working together to defend the interests of ordinary people during critical Brexit negotiations and the election of a new Conservative leader.

I would like to thank my local MP in Bolton South East, Yasmin Qureshi, for refusing to support a no-confidence vote and focusing on opposing the Tories. She has shown herself to be someone with principles who respects party democracy.

Joan Pritchard-Jones

Bolton