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He said the group was moving increasingly to the left and had abandoned hard-working centrists in order to push through Jeremy Corbyn’s policy. It comes after Ann Black, a long-standing disputes officer with the Labour's NEC, was replaced by an ally of Mr Corbyn. Ms Black has been replaced by Christine Shawcroft, a director of the Momentum pressure group, sparking fury from within the party.

GETTY Labour has been completely taken over by Corbyn allies, Sir Tony Robinson has claimed

Jeremy Corbyn at Glastonbury Mon, June 26, 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn spoke to vast crowds from the Pyramid stage and the Left Field stage at the 2017 Glastonbury Festival Play slideshow PA 1 of 15 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in the Greenpeace area at Glastonbury Festival

Before Ms Black was ousted Sir Tony, who played Baldrick in Blackadder, tweeted: “Ann Black's brilliant – a radical voice for ordinary members on the NEC with an awesome work rate. “The idea of the Corbynite Left trying to undermine her is outrageous. “If true it would confirm what I've always feared: our party completely taken over by and for a Leftist clique.”

Other Labour members also hit out at the move. Jasmin Beckett, the youth representative of the NEC, said: “The NEC disputes panel is a vital body in tackling sexual harassment and anti-Semitism in Labour - not a factional playground.” The move also sparked threats of an exodus of MPs who said they would rather sit in the House of Commons as independents than remain with Labour if faced with deselection.

GETTY Momentum are taking over Labour's NEC

One furious MP told The Times: “There’s no reason to wait it out. We would have no interest in toeing the line.” Another said: “Corbyn has a lot to lose. If people start being deselected, what’s to stop them standing against him for leadership?” The MP also said spurned MPs could simply find better jobs outside of politics, sparking by-elections Labour might not win.

GETTY Sir Tony Robinson said An Black was 'brilliant'