Red Len warns a split party would face defeat

UNION boss Len McCluskey has warned Sir Keir Starmer the move to suspend Jeremy Corbyn would spark chaos within Labour and consign it to defeat at the next election.

Mr McCluskey, leader of Unite, led calls for Sir Keir to reverse the decision, calling it a ‘gross injustice’ as Mr Corbyn’s closest allies rallied around him.

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell labelled Mr Corbyn’s suspension from the party‘ profoundly wrong ’, while former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott retweeted a statement opposing his suspension.

But amid fury from Mr Corbyn’s supporters, Mr McCluskey urged members to stay in the party rather than leave in protest, and Mr McDonnell and Miss Abbott called for calm and ‘party unity’.

That came amid speculation that Corbyn supporters on the front bench were considering resigning, and that his supporters in the party were tearing up their membership cards.

Mr McCluskey said: ‘This was a day for our party to move forward as one to defeat the evil of antiSemitism. However, the decision to suspend Jeremy Corbyn has threatened that opportunity.

‘The suspension appears to fly in the face of one of the important recommendations made by the Equality and Human Rights Commission – and which Keir himself said he would implement in full and immediately – which is to remove the leader’s office from party investigations.

‘But it is also an act of grave injustice which, if not reversed, will create chaos within the party and i n doing so compromise Labour’s chances of a general election victory. A split party will be doomed to defeat.’

Mr McDonnell – the former leader’s greatest political ally – wrote on Twitter: ‘On the day we should all be moving forward & taking all steps to fight anti-Semitism, the suspension of Jeremy Corbyn is profoundly wrong. In interests of party unity let’s find a way of undoing & resolving this.

‘I urge all party members to stay calm as that is the best way to support Jeremy and each other.’

Miss Abbott retweeted a statement by the Socialist Campaign Group of Left-wing MPs. It said it would ‘ work tirelessly’ for Mr Corbyn’s reinstatement.

Former MP Chris Williamson – suspended following allegations of anti-Semitism – said: ‘Socialists in the Party must stop deluding themselves: this was always about destroying Jeremy and criminalising criticism of Israel.’