Left-wing ‘bid to strengthen grip before new Labour leader is picked’

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn
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Labour tensions deepened today as Left-wingers were accused of trying to embed “Corbynism” in the party before a new leader can be selected.

Jeremy Corbyn’s chief of staff Karie Murphy and the party’s general ­secretary Jennie Formby were reportedly drafting a major overhaul of party structures before he steps down in the spring.

The plans include slashing the analytics team, which assesses data, and election team at Labour HQ, and replacing regional staff with community organisers.

Critics claim the overhaul could be used as cover to root out centrist staff in favour of Corbyn supporters.

Jennie Formby
AFP via Getty Images

“This feels like ‘Plan B’ of those on the Left who don’t want to give up their control of the party,” a source told the Huffington Post.

Labour MP Peter Kyle said: “If the last act of the Corbyn project is to spike whoever is the next leader by stripping our party of hard-working staff, the only credible interpretation would be that they don’t think it possible for their candidate to win.”

A Labour source told the Standard organisational reviews were “common” after an election and added: “Any staffing or structural changes would be subject to consultation with the relevant unions.”

The accusations erupted as Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee was due to meet this afternoon to discuss how the leadership race will be conducted.

Moderates have raised concerns that Left-wingers will attempt to skew the leadership contest in favour of shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long-­Bailey, seen as the “continuity Corbyn” candidate.

The NEC is expected to ­consider a timetable for allowing new people to join the party.

Former Darlington MP Jenny Chapman, who lost to the Conservatives at the election, is backing shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer to succeed Mr Corbyn.

Sir Kier Starmer
PA

She told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “We need to wait and see what the NEC decides this afternoon, not try and game it, not try and be too clever about it, not try and come up with a process that some people think favours a particular candidate. It’s got to be seen to be fair.”

She urged the NEC to allow “a good clean contest”.

Ilford North MP Wes Streeting, who is backing Corbyn critic Jess Phillips, said there should be enough time for people to join, particularly those returning to the party.

A spokeswoman for Ms Long-Bailey, who is a member of the NEC, said she would not be attending today’s meeting at Labour HQ in Victoria.

She has not yet officially announced her leadership bid but other candidates who have formally announced they are running include shadow Foreign

Secretary Emily Thornberry, Wigan MP Lisa Nandy and shadow Treasury Minister Clive Lewis.

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