LABOUR has 'a mountain to climb' to rebuild trust with East Lancashire voters its leader has admitted before a virtual public meeting today.

Sir Keir Starmer will be online for party members and members of the public from 1.30pm to 2.30pm.

They will be able to ask him questions about coronavirus, job losses, the local economy, and what lessons Labour needs to learn from last year’s election defeat.

In December Labour lost Hyndburn and Burnley to the Conservatives with the latter electing its first Tory MP for 109 years.

Sir Keir said: "“Labour has a mountain to climb in after a sobering election result in December. We need to rebuild trust with voters in Lancashire, and that starts by listening to people.

“I want to hear how people are coping with coronavirus. I am concerned the government was too slow to recognise the scale of the health crisis and we are already paying the economic price.

“Unless the government acts, we are likely to face mass unemployment across the North West. That’s why Labour has called for an emergency Back to Work Budget with one focus: jobs, jobs, jobs.”

People can sign up for the 'Zoom' meeting at https://labour.org.uk/lancashirecall