Corbyn allies condemned for threats to deselect moderates

JEREMY CORBYN allies who are threatening to deselect moderate Labour MPS have been condemned by senior members of the shadow cabinet.

Angela Rayner, shadow education secretary, said Labour members who want to deselect MPS need to ask themselves “who are the real enemy?”

It came after a branch of Momentum, grass-roots activists who support Mr Corbyn, drew up a list of 49 moderate Labour MPS and suggested they should join the Liberals.

Luciana Berger, a moderate Labour MP who is on maternity leave, was warned by left-wing activists who have taken over her party locally that she is “answerable to us”. Ms Rayner said: “Anyone that talks of deselecting any of my colleagues, they need to think about actually who are the real enemy here?”

Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, also condemned the threats to deselect Labour MPS. “I don’t think it’s a discussion we need to be having,” he said.

Caroline Flint, a former Labour minister, said the talk of deselection was “very sad,” adding: “I don’t think it helps Jeremy or the Labour Party.”

Last week Ian Lavery, chairman of the Labour Party, warned moderate Labour MPS that the party was “too broad a church”, sparking fears of mandatory reselections.

Chris Williamson, a shadow minister, said it was “unreasonable” for sitting MPS not to face a contest “to keep Labour fresh and updated”.