Jeremy Corbyn to appear at Burnley 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 left-winger, who has split opinion in his party, will be the first serving Labour leader to speak at the festival, which is held in Towneley Park.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown appeared in the early 1990s before he became Labour leader.

Peter Thorne, the secretary of the NE Lancashire Trades Council, which organises the event, said: “It is a real coup to have Jeremy Corbyn at the festival and we have our MP Julie Cooper to thank for that.

“When he was elected he asked every Labour MP what they would like and she asked if he would appear at the festival.

“There is a lot of excitment locally about this and his appearance is eagerly anticipated.”

The Burnley May Day Festival is held every year on the May Day bank holiday Monday.

It has run every year since the bank holiday was established in 1978. It is preceeded by a May Day parade that sets off from Burnley Town Hall although various other start points have been used over the years.

This year’s event will be held on Monday, May 2nd.