OPINION on Jeremy Corbyn is dividing Labour and is fast making the party “unelectable”, a senior councillor has claimed.

It comes as the Labour leadership race reaches the home straight, with 640,000 eligible voters picking between current leader Mr Corbyn and Owen Smith, as the polls closed yesterday.

Many believe Mr Corbyn will succeed in retaining the top job when the results are announced on Saturday at a special conference in Liverpool.

Gavin Callaghan, leader of Basildon Labour group, believes Mr Corbyn’s potential re-election as leader will be “a huge step backwards.”

He said: “I don’t think there will be anarchy, but there is a clear division between people who are in elected office at every single level, be it as MPs, MEPs, councillors and some of the membership.

“The people in office believe Jeremy Corbyn will not win a general election, and we are moving backwards.

“Politics in this country is moving to the right and what is clear from the polls over the past 12 months is that we were behind in many areas. We as a party have lost the argument on the economy, immigration and taxation.”

The current system for the leadership elections sees Labour MPs, members and trade unions each hold one third of the vote.

But Julian Ware-Lane, deputy leader of Southend Labour, has called for unity whatever the leadership outcome.

He said: “I am a supporter of Owen Smith, and would like him to win of course.

“But that said, the decision is with all of our members and we have to respect the result, whatever it is.

“If Jeremy Corbyn is selected once again to lead us, then we need to support him going forward.

“A united Labour will make us a strong opposition, and give us our best chance of being re-elected.”