Jeremy Corbyn could well be Prime Minister, Welsh AM says
Labour left-winger Jeremy Corbyn can overcome media attacks and "could well" become Prime Minister, an AM has said.
Mr Corbyn is tipped to win the Labour leadership on Saturday over Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall. Mick Antoniw said Mr Corbyn would find it "difficult at the moment" to win a general election, but could gain support by "resonating" with people. Delyn MP David Hanson, who backs Yvette Cooper, warned that Labour needed to win over people who voted Tory. Mr Corbyn is the favourite to be named Labour's new leader when the result of a vote of party members and affiliated supporters is announced on Saturday. Senior Labour figures including Tony Blair have warned that the party will never win a general election with Mr Corbyn as leader. Mr Antoniw told the Jason Mohammad programme on BBC Radio Wales on Friday: "I think it would be difficult at the moment, but I think it's very, very possible [for Mr Corbyn to win a general election]. "I think he has his finger on the pulse of public disengagement and dissatisfaction with politics, and if that develops I can see him being a very, very positive figure," he said. "People will say here is someone speaking his mind, speaking sense and resonating with people." Pontypridd AM Mr Antoniw added: "There will be a big attack on him by the media, in an attempt to do what they did to [former Labour leader] Michael Foot all those years ago. "But I actually think he may well come across as someone who people say despite all that, here is a guy who is honest, has integrity and speaks our kind of language. "I think he could well be Prime Minister." However, Delyn MP David Hanson warned: "If we can't convince people who voted Tory last time, in places like Vale of Clwyd and Gower, we're not going to win the general election." The result of the Labour leadership ballot will be made public at a special party conference in London, which gets underway on Saturday at 11:00 BST.