Hard-Left to take town hall

THE hard-Left Momentum group is poised to take control of its first town hall after a purge of moderate Labour councillors.

Jeremy Corbyn’s grassroots movement has ousted councillors in North London’s Haringey and replaced them with more Left-wing candidates.

It means that, after May’s local elections, the far-Left could have a controlling majority – and challenge for leadership of the council, which has a £693million budget.

Nine councillors were ousted and others said they would stand down after being targeted. Councillor Barbara Blake said they felt ‘intimidated’ by ‘ruthless attacks’. But a Momentum source denied a coup within the Labour Party and said that the changes had been driven by anger against the council’s housing policy.