Rally staged in Belfast in support of Corbyn

Images of the event at the City Hall appear to show roughly 100 or so people in attendance, bearing placards with various slogans, including: ‘First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win!’ – a quote often attributed to Gandhi.

Many placards also contrasted the strength of grassroots Labour support for Mr Corbyn with the number of rebellious MPs who oppose him.

Mr Corbyn is facing a possible coup in his party following a huge wave of shadow cabinet resignations, amid growing disaffection among fellow MPs about his performance since taking over the leadership last September.

This week the News Letter reported that, as his camp desperately cast around themselves for political allies, the SDLP – a party with long-standing affiliations to Labour – had refused to say anything in support of him.

Unionists have voiced concerns about his past associations with republicans and his apparent reluctance to condemn IRA violence.

At the weekend, Jeffrey Donaldson MP said that the sooner he leaves the stage, the better.