Corbyn’s chief aide demoted after weeks of party turmoil
John McDonnell appears to have pulled off an audacious power grab by securing the demotion of Jeremy Corbyn’s chief of staff.
After weeks of infighting, Karie Murphy – an ally of union baron Len McCluskey – has been removed from the Labour leader’s office.
She has been given what sources describe as a ‘non job’ at party headquarters to work on election planning.
Miss Murphy is one of the ‘Four Ms’ with significant influence on Mr Corbyn alongside communications chief Seumas Milne, Unite boss Mr McCluskey and political adviser Andrew Murray. Senior ministers including Shadow Chancellor Mr McDonnell and Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott are reported to have demanded her removal.
Miss Murphy, who is an ardent Brexiteer, was regarded as a brake on the party’s gradual shift toward a second referendum. It is thought that she was moved after being told by Mr Corbyn that she had lost his confidence.
Labour tried to play down the situation. A source said: ‘As we ramp up campaigning ahead of a general election, we are maximising the use of the resources we have to ensure we are successful. Karie will drive this crucial work from HQ, as she did during the last election.’
And Ian Lavery, the party chairman, tweeted: ‘A brilliant move by JC to ask Karie Murphy to spearhead our general election campaign.
‘She is a hero of our party and movement – her drive, commitment and sheer political determination is awesome.’
It was reported that matters came to a head after Andrew Fisher, the head of policy and the author of the party’s last manifesto, quit last month. He was talked out of leaving immediately after delivering a scathing assessment of the ‘blizzard of lies and excuses’ emanating from Mr Corbyn’s office.
The Guardian said it was Mr Fisher that finally convinced Mr Corbyn a shake- up was necessary.
A Shadow Cabinet ally said the Labour leader, who tends to avoid confrontation, had ‘screwed up his courage’ to make the move. It is understood Miss Murphy resisted the switch to the party headquarters on Victoria Street, Westminster.
It is unclear whether she will return to a chief of staff role in Downing Street if Labour wins power.
Tensions have been running high since Labour’s conference in Brighton last month, which kicked off with a botched attempt to abolish Tom Watson’s job of deputy leader. The attempted coup against Mr Watson was initiated by Momentum chairman, Jon Lansman, but he told friends it had the approval of Corbyn’s office.
Miss Murphy is widely believed to have known about the move in advance.
The former nurse has had a long career in the Labour movement, including several years on Mr Watson’s staff.
In 2013 she tried to become Labour candidate in Falkirk, but the selection process was suspended following allegations of vote-rigging. Miss Murphy was cleared of any wrongdoing.
A source close to Mr McDonnell said he had no role in the staffing of the leader’s office or Labour HQ.