Corbyn will be TOO OLD to lead Labour into a general election by 2022, warns shadow minister

  • Jeremy Corbyn has consolidated grip on Labour following the general election
  • But senior figure expressed doubts whether he could fight as leader in 2022
  • Next election scheduled for May 2022 by which time Mr Corbyn will be nearly 73
  • Shadow cabinet minister said he would need to commit to serve five years as PM
  • Aides said Labour leader would fight next election 'whenever that might be'

Jeremy Corbyn will be too old to lead Labour into a general election by 2022, according to a senior colleague.

The veteran left-winger has made clear he has no intention of standing down before the nation goes to the polls again - saying his diet of 'porridge and energy bars' will keep him going.

But a shadow cabinet source told MailOnline that if the parliament runs for a full five years Mr Corbyn, at the age of nearly 73, will be unable to cling on. They suggested Tory MPs were highly unlikely to collapse the government early.

Jeremy Corbyn has made clear he has no intention of standing down before the nation goes to the polls again - saying his diet of 'porridge and energy bars' will keep him going

Jeremy Corbyn has made clear he has no intention of standing down before the nation goes to the polls again - saying his diet of 'porridge and energy bars' will keep him going

Mr Corbyn campaigned energetically during the general election in June last year. He is pictured giving a speech in Telford

Mr Corbyn campaigned energetically during the general election in June last year. He is pictured giving a speech in Telford

'A leader standing at a general election has to commit to doing a full five years,' the frontbencher said.

'Jeremy is in good shape, but by May 2027 he will be nearly 78.'

Rumours about the leadership have been swirling despite Mr Corbyn consolidating his grip with the better-than-expected election result last June.

The Left has been focused on taking full control of the Labour machine, with Momentum founder Jon Lansman among three Corbynites elected to the ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) yesterday.

Moderate MPs fear a round of deselections as the party is shifted away from the Tony Blair era.

But there is currently no obvious successor for Mr Corbyn on the Left - sparking concerns that his project could be unwound again.

Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long Bailey, Laura Pidcock and Angela Rayner are among those touted as possible contenders. 

A spokesman for Mr Corbyn, who turns 69 in May, said: 'As Jeremy has said, he's committed to leading the Labour party into the next election, whenever that may be.'

Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long Bailey
Angela Rayner are regarded as possible leadership contenders

Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long Bailey and Angela Rayner are regarded as possible leadership contenders

In a pre-Christmas interview with the Independent, the Labour leader dismissed questions about whether he could sustain the level of campaigning needed until 2022. 

'I eat porridge every morning; porridge and energy bars and I keep off alcohol and meat. I've got loads of energy.'  

In May last year Mr Corbyn also suggested that 68 was 'too late' to retire from a stressful job.

After a speech at the Royal College of Nursing Conference in Liverpool, he was quizzed over his attitude to the pension age.

A nurse complained that they are 'now expected to work in this demanding job until I am 68', adding: 'Do you think this is safe for my patients, do you think this is safe for me? And if not, what will you do about it?' 

Indicating that Labour opposed raising the state retirement age, Mr Corbyn said: 'I think 68, as they say, is too late.'

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