The embattled Labour leader faces a challenge to his position from former shadow cabinet minister Owen Smith.
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More than 183,000 people paid the fee during the 48-hour window for such applications last week.
Malhotra, the former shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, had claimed on Saturday that a member of McDonnell’s staff gained entry to her office without her permission, and had lodged a formal complaint with the speaker of the House of Commons. “This is a breach of parliamentary privilege and is a violation of the privacy, security and confidentiality of a member of parliament’s office”, she told The Observer.
This afternoon Mr Corbyn’s office confirmed the shock U-turn, saying: “The Leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, is pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Champion MP, who is re-joining the Labour’s front bench as Shadow Home Office Minister, focusing on women, equality and domestic violence”. “I know that’s what Jeremy wants too but I’m not sure he can do that”.
A spokesperson for Mr Corbyn said: “The accusation that Karie intimidated anyone is untrue”.
Although Mr Corbyn filled the gaps in the shadow cabinet by appointing replacements, several politicians have had to double up by taking on two portfolios while many middle-ranking and junior positions remain unfilled.
Around 1,800 supporters packed Salford’s Lowry Theatre to hear Mr Corbyn set out the need to transform Labour into a “social movement” in order to defeat the Tories.
The university’s Labour History Research Unit asked 350 councillors in the 125 seats most narrowly won and lost by Labour at the 2015 general election.
Meanwhile, leadership rival Mr Smith said his wife, Liz, had been a victim of online abuse and claimed there was now a level of abuse, anti-Semitism and misogyny in Labour that was not there before Mr Corbyn became leader.
McDonnell said the outcome was not a “foregone conclusion” but called on MPs to accept the result if Corbyn wins again.
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“We simply can not ignore the views of our elected MPs, all loyal to Labour’s objective, the majority of whom see clearly how we severely risk failing in our duty to the British people on our current track”. No one is allowed to criticise the leader, there’s a complete absence of detailed policy, they turn a blind eye to the worst elements of their support. “Problems are anyone’s fault, the mainstream media and elites, but never his fault”.
