Jeremy Corbyn claims drinks after work are unfair on mothers

Mr Corbyn promises to ‘reach out’ to alienated female MPs

Jeremy Corbyn has called for companies to end after-work drinks events because they “discriminate against mothers”.

Mr Corbyn made the statement while launching measures to promote women’s rights at Unison’s headquarters.

He promised to “reach out” to alienated female MPs and show them he is “serious” about beating the Conservatives if he wins the Labour leadership battle against his rival Owen Smith.

The opposition leader said the culture of work socialising “benefits men who don’t feel the need to be at home looking after their children and it discriminates against women who will want to, obviously, look after the children that they have got”.

He also said he supported all-women shortlists to address a lack of women in senior roles in the public sector.

The Labour leader’s comments come after a report by the Commons Women and Equities Commission found the number of women forced from their jobs because of pregnancy discrimination had doubled over the last year.

Women with young children are a third less likely to be working than men in the same position, according to recent research by the TUC.

A crackdown on sexual harassment and online abuse by strengthening laws was also proposed by Mr Corbyn.

The measures follow an open letter, signed by 44 female Labour MPs condemning the leader for what they said was an inadequate response to threats made by his supporters.

Mr Corbyn said: “I want to reach out to all members of the Labour Party and all members of the parliamentary party.

“I will send them all copies of the policies that we have put forward including this document we are putting forward this evening and try and show to them that we are serious about developing policies, we are serious about the inclusion of everyone within the Labour Party.”

As part of his strategy to improve women’s rights. Mr Corbyn has promised to progress towards universal child care and to increase funding for support for victims of domestic abuse.

Since 2010, 86 per cent of cuts affect women, according to the House of Commons.

Mr Corbyn’s strategy for improving women’s rights have previously stirred controversy. His proposal of female-only train carriages as a measure to reduce on train harassment were met with strong criticism.

The leader was also slammed for failing to award any of the four great offices of state in his Shadow cabinet to women after he was first elected as head.

The incumbent leader is the favourite to win the election, with a 24 point lead over Mr Smith, according to YouGov.

Mr Smith has pledged that half the shadow cabinet and half of the party’s MPs will be women if he wins the race against Corbyn.