RMT general secretary Mick Lynch called on the Labour leader to emulate the guiding principle of his predecessors by putting the word “redistribution” on the front of Labour’s manifesto.

Mr Lynch was speaking at a cost-of-living rally in Aberdare in Wales organised by Cynon Valley Labour MP Beth Winter, a member of the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs.

He accused the Tories of being “militants” and “ideologues” — words they had used to describe him.

And he questioned the point of having a “sophisticated civilisation” if millions of citizens were being left behind.

He called on Sir Keir Starmer to learn from the party’s own history.

“We need a Labour Party that is part of our movement, that identifies with our struggles,” Mr Lynch said.

“We need on the front page of the next Labour manifesto, one word: redistribution.

“Redistribution is the fundamental of what Keir Hardie believed in, it’s the fundamental of what Nye Bevan believed in. It’s the fundamental of what Jeremy Corbyn believed in.

“It ought to be what Keir Starmer stands up for and believes in, because it doesn’t matter if you’re from the left of the party, the middle of the party, the right of the party, or our movement, you must believe in fundamental change in favour of working-class people.”

Ms Winter called on the public and Labour politicians to support upcoming strikes and join workers on picket lines.

Wales TUC general secretary Shav Taj urged people to join Cardiff’s February 1 demonstration in support of the right to strike.

“Rather than putting money into the pockets of public-sector workers to end disputes and investing in our NHS to deal with the staffing crisis, the Tories are busy attacking our right to strike,” she said.