Share

Labour leadership: MP ‘unresigns’ from Corbyn team

Seema Malhotra, who resigned as shadow chief secretary to the Treasury last month in protest at Corbyn’s leadership of Labour, said she had evidence of three “illegal” attempts made to enter her office, two of which were successful.

Advertisement

In a series of critical tweets, she slammed the embattled leader for ignoring an overwhelming vote of no confidence, said Labour MPs “won’t unite behind him” and under him the Party “can’t be an effective opposition”.

Mr Smith, who has faced criticism from Mr Corbyn and his allies over his previous work for pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, insisted he was committed to a “100% publicly owned” NHS – which would mean rolling back the involvement of the private sector in areas such as commissioning.

Ms Champion has returned to her post as a shadow home office minister, focusing on women, equality and domestic violence issues.

JEREMY cORBYN’S inner circle are said to be delighted an MP who quit as part of a mass walk-out of front-benchers has re-joined their team.

The Rotherham MP had said Mr Corbyn’s position was “untenable” and the party could be “doomed” as she quit in June.

Owen Smith, a Welshman like Kinnock, has challenged Corbyn for the leadership after a failed coup last month by the majority of the Shadow Cabinet.

Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show, Mr Corbyn’s right-hand man looked directly into the camera to make his appeal for party unity – and to hit out at those responsible for implicating a junior member of his staff in the office access controversy.

The victor of the leadership contest will be announced on 24 September.

In a statement, Ms Malhotra said staff working for Mr Corbyn and shadow chancellor John McDonnell had gained “unauthorised entry into my office in parliament”.

Commenting on the party’s latest row, Mr Smith told BBC Radio London: ” Obviously people shouldn’t be going into MPs’ offices, obviously that’s abuse of parliamentary privilege.

A spokesperson for Corbyn said accusations that Karie Murphy – the Labour leader’s office manager – had intimidated anyone were “untrue”.

Derek said, “One person from a nearby Labour Party said that the right in the branch were trying to convene meetings anyway without letting Corbyn supporters know”.

“I have been around long enough, [this is] the type of stuff that we ultimately find out about, about who was involved… the 30-year rule”.

In a survey of 350 Labour councillors across 250 marginal constituencies, Anglia Ruskin University found that 60 per cent backed Smith.

Advertisement

And when asked whom they believed the majority of registered supporters would vote for, 53.4% named Mr Corbyn with just 10.3% expecting Mr Smith to win the bulk of the backing.

Seema Malhotra