Jeremy Corbyn to face backlash from Labour backbenchers over sex industry comments

Labour leader's support for the decriminalisation of sex work has already sparked anger from prominent female MPs

The Labour leader has already faced criticism from female MPs after announcing he was in favour of decriminalising the sex industry (Getty Images)

Jeremy Corbyn is likely to face a grilling from MPs at the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) meeting tomorrow night over his comments about the sex industry.

Female MPs are expected to challenge Mr Corbyn after he announced last week that he believed sex work should be decriminalised.

"I am in favour of decriminalising the sex industry," he told students at Goldsmiths University on Thursday (3 March).

The Labour leader’s remarks have already infuriated prominent Labour women, including Harriet Harman and Jess Phillips, who both took to Twitter to vent their anger.

“Prostitution’s exploitation and abuse [is] not work [or] an industry,” tweeted Ms Harman, while Jess Phillips wrote: “Man says we should decriminalise a known violence against women. Why did it have to be this man[?]"

Despite a letter from Mr Corbyn to a constituent in 2010 supporting the “Nordic model”, which criminalises the buyers of sex rather than the sellers, the Labour leader's comments suggest he has altered his stance on the issue.

MPs at the meeting on Monday night are also expected to challenge Mr Corbyn on his leadership in the run up to the May elections and query him about Labour's campaign to stay in Europe.

Yvette Cooper has recently called on the Labour leader to do more to involve Labour in the campaign for Britain to remain in the EU.

“As you know the Labour party is strongly supporting the case for being in Europe,” she told Sky News.

“I hope that Jeremy will do some more things campaigning on Europe, I think it’s really important that he does. I think it is right that Jeremy should be campaigning for Europe and for being in Europe. It is the most important thing."

Despite still carrying widespread support, there is reported to be growing talk at Westminster that My Corbyn could face a potential leadership challenge if Labour underperforms in the May elections.

Mr Corbyn will respond to the budget in the House of Commons for the first time next week - a role traditionally taken by the leader of the opposition rather than the shadow chancellor.