Of the 18,418 who responded, 58.1% backed Mr Corbyn, against 41.9% for Mr Smith. But they haven’t managed to organise a Labour membership that recognises a dud leader when it sees it and thinks he should be remove.
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But he added “there are some old hands twisting young arms in this process”.
“They are caucusing and factionalising and putting pressure where they can, and that’s how Trotsky entryists operate”. Sooner or later, that always ends up in disaster.
A high Court ruling on Monday of this week said that some 130,000 Labour Party members had been wrongly prevented from voting in the party’s leadership election.
Mr Smith said the European Union was the “biggest disagreement between Jeremy and myself” but stressed he did not blame the leader for the vote to leave.
Within hours of being elected Ms Wolfson, 26, told the BBC: “Ultimately we have to have a much more healthy conversation around reselection, if not mandatory reselection”.
Mr Watson said in the letter: “I have no doubt that many Momentum members are genuine in their desire to campaign vigorously against Tory inequality”.
Mr Smith replied: “I do, Jeremy, but I don’t want it to be fruitless, futile work”.
The meeting of the Islington North Constituency Labour Party was held to decide which candidate the local party would back – Corbyn or Smith.
Mr Corbyn said Labour was ahead in the polls before the resignations of shadow cabinet members, including Mr Smith, and that it had won every by-election and increased majorities.
A spokesperson for Mr Corbyn, who advocates a “kinder politics”, said: “This is a disappointing remark by Tom Watson, who seems to be sadly using the Owen Smith campaign’s “Project Fear” approach to this election”.
Underneath is a long post saying Mr Corbyn will be the “death of Labour” and claiming he is a career politician who is “ill-equipped” to lead the country.
Cllr Crooks revealed he had personally written to Owen Smith, citing the quote “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others” from George Orwell’s Animal Farm – a warning of the hypocrisy of governments which proclaim equality of citizens but give power to an elite.
The debate in the Labour leadership contest reflects tensions at the heart of the party.
“We know how this one ends, Jeremy, and it doesn’t end well for the working people of Britain”.
Former leadership contender Andy Burnham, named as Labour’s candidate for mayor of Greater Manchester yesterday, attacked that suggestion.
Mr Smith was among dozens of Labour MPs to resign from Mr Corbyn’s front bench in protest at his leadership.
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Mr Miliband stepped aside a year ago after a disastrous Labour performance in the general election.
