“The anti-war movement has been a vital democratic campaign, which organised the biggest demonstrations in British history and has repeatedly called it right over 14 years of disastrous wars in the wider Middle East”.
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Despite being forced to grant a free vote in the Commons debate on Syria because of a threatened shadow cabinet revolt, he still saw most members of his top team and the majority of Labour MPs vote with him in opposing military action.
Speaking on Radio 5 live’s Pienaar’s Politics, shadow energy secretary Lisa Nandy said people who bully, intimidate or harass MPs should be removed from the party and she welcomed the strong message from Mr Corbyn that this would not be tolerated.
Labour’s John McDonnell has said “there is no room for intimidation” in politics – as trade unions warned MPs not to oppose Jeremy Corbyn’s agenda for change.
“Stop The War coalition picketed the Labour Party headquarters when we were trying to run a phone-bank for the Oldham by-election, so they were preventing the election of a Labour Member of Parliament”, said Mr Hunt.
Meanwhile, shadow work and pensions secretary Owen Smith dismissed reports that Mr Corbyn was planning to get rid of dissenters in a New Year shadow cabinet reshuffle.
Tristram Hunt has called on Corbyn to pull out of the event. But he will not accept attempts to portray campaigning, lobbying and protest as somehow beyond the pale.
Many Labour MPs who voted for airstrikes have complained they received abuse and threats online.
“They are a really disreputable organisation and I would hope that Jeremy would step back and not go to their fundraiser”. “In fact it’s at the heart of democracy”.
Mr Hunt told the Andrew Marr Show on Sunday: “I think they’ve been very irresponsible with their language and activities, picketing Labour Party headquarters when we’re trying to fight for the Oldham by-election”.
His comments will heighten fears among moderate Labour MPs that they could be targeted for de-selection by Mr Corbyn’s supporters, despite the leader’s insistence that he does not want to see MPs ousted.
Mr Salmond went on to take the SNP from a fringe party to the dominant force in Scottish politics, with a largely unwavering support of his elected members which was rarely tested in public.
The leadership is blaming the reports on Labour figures who are still struggling to come to terms with Corbyn’s leadership and his success in securing a majority in the three main centres of the party for his opposition to the airstrikes.
He added: “I think it is going to develop into a positive alternative for the country”.
“I was a young leader and I thought my job was to be nice to the people who opposed me and attacked me”.
In the latest controversial blog, which appeared for a few hours on the Stop the War website before being withdrawn, Mr Carr said: “Benn does not even seem to realise that the jihadist movement that ultimately spawned Daesh is far closer to the spirit of internationalism and solidarity that drove the International Brigades than Cameron’s bombing campaign”.
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“Most of the people sending threats aren’t even on the electoral roll”.
