LABOUR Party figures in Dorset have called for unity after Jeremy Corbyn was re-elected as leader of the party.

Mr Corbyn was re-elected after a landslide victory over challenger Owen Smith, with the result announced at the party conference in Liverpool.

He was elected with 61.8 percent of the vote, winning 313,209 votes to Mr Smith's 193,229.

It is the second time in just more than a year that members have elected Mr Corbyn as leader and he has increased his mandate this time around.

He was elected last year but has had to run for leadership again following a challenge from Angela Eagle, who then stood down to endorse Mr Smith.

Mr Corbyn has been a divisive figure, with several MPs resigning from the shadow cabinet in recent months.

Local figures in the Labour Party have now called for members to come together.

Lord Knight of Weymouth, who as Jim Knight was Labour MP for South Dorset from 2001-2010, said: "The result is no great surprise. It is a ringing endorsement for Jeremy Corbyn from those who belong to the biggest membership of a party possibly in Europe.

"I have remaining concerns about whether he can translate that popularity to the wider electorate. We have to move forward together following this result.

"We have to unify yes but we also have to be clear about where we’re going and how we’re doing it.

"It’s about the bringing together the parliamentary party and the wider membership. I’m sure many of us will want to play a part in trying to do that."

Barry Thompson, chairman of the Dorchester and District Labour Party, believes the party must come together, despite not supporting Mr Corbyn.

He said: "I didn’t support Jeremy Corbyn, I voted for Owen Smith because I think the Labour Party all need to come back together.

"We’ve got to accept that Jeremy Corbyn won and we all need to get on with it, that’s my own opinion.

"I’ll be supporting him yes definitely. I think the party must come together."

He added that he does feel Labour could win the West Dorset seat under Mr Corbyn but it just needs a breakthrough.

Following the result, Mr Corbyn said that he will do everything he can to bring the party together and make it an "engine of progress".

He added that in the party "we have much more in common that that which divides us" and as far as he was concerned the slate is "wiped clean" following months of passionate debate.

Mr Corbyn has made two prominent visits to the area during the past 12 months, visiting Portland in April and speaking and joining the procession at the Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival in July.

He has put his support behind the campaign to save children's services at Dorset County Hospital.

Following his victory, Mr Corbyn added that it is his responsibility as leader to unite the party at conference, in Parliament and in every community around the country.