CALL OFF THE DOGS, CORBYN
Chuka warning to boss over moderate MPS
LABOUR leader hopeful Chuka Umunna says Jeremy Corbyn is hounding out moderate MPS and warns: “Call off the dogs.”
The ex-shadow Business Secretary said centre-left MPS such as himself were in “clear and present danger” of being run out of the party.
He added yesterday: “My message to our leadership: it is within your power to stop this.
“So, call off the dogs and get on with fighting this Tory Brexit. That is where all our efforts should be.” Mr Umunna backs the People’s Vote campaign for a second EU referendum.
The Streatham MP, whose constituency in South London is one of the country’s most diverse, said the Brexit debate normalised hatred and minority ethnic voters had paid the price.
He called on Mr Corbyn to give Labour’s backing to a national vote on the final Brexit deal.
His speech was dismissed by Labour as “incoherent and inaccurate”. Shadow Chancellor John Mcdonnell, who is preparing a peacekeeping tour to tackle party infighting, said: “Referring to our members as dogs is just unacceptable.”
It follows a string of Corbyn critics losing symbolic local party confidence votes last week.
Among them, Enfield North MP Joan Ryan blamed “Trots, Stalinists, Communists and assorted hard-left” for her defeat.
Mr Umunna quit the 2015 race to follow Ed Miliband as leader.