Bungling Labour leadership contender Owen Smith slammed for saying he is not proud of Britain
Wannabe prime minister's gaffe comes as heroic Team GB return from Rio with 67 medals
WOULD-be Labour leader challenger Owen Smith was blasted as “crass and insensitive” last night after suggesting he was not proud of Britain - despite our Olympics success.
As voting opened yesterday in the leadership election, he told Labour members a vote for him would lead to “a Britain we can be proud of once more”.
His gaffe - 24 hours after the nation cheered Team GB’s stunning second place in Rio with 67 medals - comes days after Mr Smith was slammed for calling for peace talks with ISIS.
Tory MP David Morris said: “Why is Owen Smith not proud of gold-winning Great Britain already?”
He told The Sun he was “shocked that anyone could say they were not proud of Great Britain after the last couple of weeks — especially someone who was asking to lead the country.”
Mr Smith is vying to topple Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn after most of his MPs rejected him in a vote of no confidence.
In a last ditch plea for votes, the struggling challenger told party members in Wales: “Let’s be faithful to our values, let’s unite this Labour party.”
He added: “Let’s work together on building a future for Labour and a Britain we can be proud of once more.”
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Voting opened yesterday in the Labour leadership election with the party announcing a record breaking 640,000 eligible voters.
Last night bookies had Jeremy Corbyn almost certain to tighten his grip on the party with another big win.
Despite a bloody courtroom showdown to ban 130,000 new members from taking part in the attempt to dethrone veteran lefty, a massive 350,000 members and 168,000 trade unionists will be sent ballot papers this week.
Another 129,000 registered supporters who paid £25 to join will also get a vote — netting the debt-blighted party £3.2 million pounds.
The result is expected on September 24.