The leader of a pro-Jeremy Corbyn trade union has said he is considering taking legal action against his suspension from the Labour party, a decision that has brought accusations about a “rigged purge” of Corbyn supporters.
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The party’s general secretary, Iain McNicol, has also tweeted to correct McDonnell’s statement saying Draper had been suspended by “party officials”, to stress it had been done by the NEC.
Both candidates warned against the prospect of Labour splitting after the election, something which has been mooted if Mr Corbyn wins the contest when the result is announced at next month’s party conference in Liverpool.
The suspension highlights what some Corbyn supporters see as wider attempts by those in the party who support the leadership challenger, Owen Smith, to weed out members and registered supporters who are seeking to vote to keep Corbyn in office.
The Glasgow debate, which will be held before an audience of Labour members at the SECC from 19:00 BST, will be streamed live on the Labour Party website.
Mr Smith has said he will seek to stop Brexit without guarantees of a second referendum on the final terms of the UK’s departure from the Brussels bloc, or another general election on the issue.
He added: “I’m not even sure Jeremy did vote remain”.
But Mr Corbyn’s lack of love for Europe is well known, and his lukewarm European Union campaign might be the one issue that has damaged him in supporters’ eyes.
Officials insist they are just enforcing the rules.
Mr Smith said: “The reason I think that Jeremy can be so complacent and passive about this is that he’s happy about the result”.
He said: “I have been in touch with Johanna Baxter to let her know that I am appalled by the abuse directed towards her for her role on the National Executive Committee”.
He also protested that Michael Foster, a Labour donor who described Corbyn supporters as “Nazi stormtroopers” had not been punished.
He went on: “People did feel that the last Labour government wasn’t radical enough”.
Mr Corbyn’s team believes he continues to enjoy the support of the majority of Scottish Labour members and constituency branches. But the Pontypridd MP was forced to defend the Lothians MSP when her name was met with jeers as he praised the “brilliant job” she had done in Scotland.
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Ruling out any kind of progressive alliance, he claimed the party was “underfunding” Scottish local authorities, and said Scotland’s £14.8 billion deficit in 2015/16 placed a huge question mark over the SNP’s independence mission.
