Jeremy Corbyn will launch his campaign to remain leader of the Labour Party in Salford tomorrow.

The Labour leader will appear on the stage at the huge Lyric theatre at The Lowry arts centre .

Supporters are confident that the 1,730-seat venue will be packed for his appearance at 2pm on Saturday.

He will make his speech just hours after his challenger for the top job, Owen Smith, makes a stump speech in Manchester at an event tonight.

Supporters of Mr Corbyn say he will visit various venues in the city before making his appearance on stage.

Salford councillor, John Warmisham said: “He spent an hour in Langworthy recently meeting people on the street. He is a breath of fresh air and has great support in Salford. The Lyric will be full for his launch.”

Salford is already a stronghold for Mr Corbyn - with Rebecca Long Bailey its MP for Salford and Eccles, now number two to shadow chancellor, John McDonnell.

And, as reported in the M.E.N, City Mayor, Paul Dennett, and most Labour councillors are backing beleaguered Corbyn.

They have sent a letter of support to the national Labour leader signed by Mayor Paul Dennett, and 28 of the 51 Labour councillors .

The pledge comes as a defiant Mr Corbyn said he will ‘not betray’ Labour members by resigning, despite three-quarters of the party’s MPs voting against him in a no confidence motion.

Just 40 MPs voted to back Mr Corbyn in the secret ballot, far short of the number needed to fill a complete frontbench.

In the letter from Salford, the councillors say: “We the undersigned reject what appears to be an organised coup, and the recent moves from Parliamentary Labour Party members to undermine the leadership of the party through mass resignation.”

Leadership challenger Owen Smith will deliver a speech at his first campaign rally since the Labour leadership contest officially began. He will be speaking tonight at the Friends’ Meeting House, in Mount Street, Manchester.