LABOUR must make itself relevant to the British people after the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader, Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead has warned.

While he admits supporting runner-up Andy Burnham, Dr Whitehead hopes the party takes this opportunity to unite behind Mr Corbyn and give the British public a credible alternative.

He said: “The party has an opportunity over the next five years to take a different path than perhaps it has in the past.

“That also means the Labour Party has got four-and-a-half-years to put its policy ducks in a row and put its offer to the British public, as a credible and reliable option.

“It is the duty of the leader of the party to make room for everybody in the party.

“It is very much up to the Labour Party to make itself relevant, particularly to the number of people who didn’t vote at all and felt cut off from politics.”

What has been particularly pleasing for the city MP is the vast increase in the party’s membership during the process to elect a new leader.

He said: “It has meant the Labour Party has got an enormous boost of supporters and new members and people, who I think will immensely strengthen the party and put its message out there. It enthused a lot of people in a way not expected following the bad general election result.

“The party has an opportunity to put some fundamental choices back to the British public.”

While there has been much criticism over Corbyn’s views on Trident and nuclear power, Dr Whitehead doesn’t share those fears as detailed policy decisions are yet to be formally established.

He added: “Frankly there are a number of issues over Trident.

“Certainly there is a general indication Labour will be more critical and more critical over gas and fire power stations and nuclear power but this doesn’t necessarily make up the total policy, it’s still to be fought out in party debates.

“While people have left the shadow cabinet, there is no sign that they will not support the party from the backbench.

“There may be certain difficulties on some policy issues but they are giving their full support from the backbench.

The area I am concerned about is the extent to which being a good opposition party leads to being a good government.

“The work that clearly needs to be done is to turn a number of individual ideas into a coherent platform from which can offer the public an alternative to the current government.

That’s the biggest challenge that Jeremy will have as party leader.

“And that does mean discussions need to take place across the board and that is what I look forward to taking part in. My hope is that the party will approach that on a united basis."It is united parties that win elections and the whole party needs to be united.”

Mr Corbyn has also faced criticism over not putting enough women in the top jobs within his new shadow cabinet, but Dr Whitehead is happy with the overall balance of men and women being 50/50 and said it was a matter of opinion which were the most important jobs.