Corbyn to speak at May Day Festival

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn attends a fares protest at King's Cross Station, London, as the Government was accused of profiting from commuters as the annual hike in rail fares hits people returning to work. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday January 4, 2016. Train fares in Britain rose by an average of 1.1% on Saturday, despite Network Rail figures showing more than one in 10 trains (10.7%) arrived at their final destination at least five minutes late in the past 12 months. See PA story RAIL Fares. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire

The day will begin, as ever, with a parade from Burnley Town Hall to Towneley Park, setting off at noon.

Mr Corbyn, who was invited by Burnley’s MP Julie Cooper, will be the first serving Labour leader to speak at the festival – one of very few in the country that has been held every year since the May Day bank holiday was established in 1978.

Mr Peter Thorne, secretary of the NE Lancashire Trades Council, which organises the event, said: “This year we are privileged to have Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, as our main speaker.

“Jeremy has re-energised the Labour Party with membership both locally and nationally up significantly since his election as leader so there is huge interest in his presence. We already know of coaches coming from Calderdale and Keighley just to hear Jeremy speak.

“Our other speakers will be Julie Cooper, Julie Ward, one of the three North West Labour MEPs who will be speaking about the forthcoming EU referendum, and Clive Grunshaw who is standing for re-election as Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner on May 5th.”

Events at the park will start around 11am with the funfair and various charity and trade union stalls.

The speeches will be at 1pm after the arrival of the parade.