Roundup: Britain's Labour leader Corbyn holds out hand of friendship to his estranged MPs

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Thursday he would end the party's current civil war if he is re-elected leader, by holding out a hand of friendship to his estranged MPs.

In what has become a highly public battle between Corbyn and the majority of MPs, the leader is going head to head in a challenge to his leadership that could determine the future of the party.

Corbyn has huge support among ordinary rank and file members across the country, with a high chance he could be declared the winner when the result of the new leadership contest is revealed at the party's conference in Liverpool in September.

Some MPs have already said they would decline front bench jobs if Corbyn remains in charge.

Announcing his leadership manifesto in London, Corbyn said he would "hold out the hand of friendship" to MPs after the leadership contest is over.

"I have an ability to conveniently forget some of the unpleasant things that are said, because it is simply not worth it," he said. In a message to MPs he said that after the result is declared, it will be "the job, the duty, the responsibility" of every Labour MP to "get behind the party".

Corbyn faces Welsh MP Owen Smith in the leadership contest after many Labour MPs announced their support for Smith.

Corbyn added that if he becomes prime minister in the 2020 general election he will draw inspiration from Labour MPs who in the post-war 1940s were the founding fathers of Britain's welfare state.

Corbyn vowed to tackle what he described as the "five ills of 21st Century Britain", inequality, neglect, prejudice, insecurity and discrimination.

He also promised to tackle workplace discrimination by forcing all businesses employing 21 or more people to publish information about pay, working hours and the grades of every job. The measure, said Corbyn, would highlight the extent to which female, disabled and black and minority ethnic workers remained unfairly treated 40 years after the British government passed it equal pay laws.

Corbyn said the Labour party is stronger with him as leader, adding he was proud of what has been achieved in the last 10 months.

One of the latest polls, published this week by YouGov puts Corbyn's support at 56 percent and Smith's at 34 percent.

Many MPs, especially those critical of Corbyn, fear they will be sacked if a re-selection process is handed to local constituency parties, many now dominated by Corbyn supporters.

The government is planning to review boundaries, including a reduction of the total number of MPs from 650 to 600. It would mean every MP having to go through a selection process. Currently sitting MPs are usually selected without having to fight to stay on as an MP. Some fear Corbyn supporters would use this as a "back door" method of ridding the House of Commons of anti-Corbyn MPs.

Corbyn's team denied the leader is threatening to de-select sitting MPs, but setting out selection processes. Enditem