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For Jeremy Corbyn’s Left-wing support base, taking control of Haringey council is just the start. As the battle for the north London borough enters its endgame, the focus of Momentum is switching to constituency parties in London and across the country.

With the majority of the Parliamentary Labour Party still hostile to their leader, despite a fragile truce, the Left is pushing to install its own candidates.

But will the tactics used in Haringey, which some local members believe were orchestrated by the very top of the party, work so well elsewhere?

Outside Labour selection meetings across Haringey, a small band of hardened activists have spent the past few weeks thrusting leaflets into the hands of members. Hundreds of flyers, headlined “No Permission for Demolition!” with a picture of a bulldozer and a wrecking ball, were distributed.

Their concern, apparently, is with the controversial Haringey Development Vehicle, which will provide 5,000 new homes, but has been branded “social cleansing” by the Left.

But senior council figures insist the bitter row over the housing proposal is little more than a Trojan horse by Momentum, Jeremy Corbyn’s grassroots campaign group, to win seats.

Around a dozen councillors who supported the HDV scheme have been ousted or have decided not to stand again in next May’s local elections. Momentum now has the numbers it needs to take the town hall from the moderates — becoming the first Corbynista council in the country.

But many of those who have gone have struggled with the “poisonous” nature of the campaign and warned of its long-term consequences.

Ali Demirci, the first Kurdish councillor in Britain when he was elected to Bounds Green ward 11 years ago, said there was a “toxic and uncomradely environment” in the borough.

“Labour no longer seems a party interested in bringing about practical change to the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable residents of Haringey,” he said.

“Instead, it has become a party where sloganizing and political games come before almost anything else.”

Barbara Blake withdrew from St Ann’s ward before she was ousted. “We have always had robust debate in the Labour party with a tolerance of differing views. This no longer exists,” she said.

“While it is right that we should be judged on our record, the ruthless attacks on every councillor not officially backed by Momentum is unforgivable and brings shame on our great movement.”

The pair joined, among others, Tim Gallagher, who stepped down after he and colleagues were written off as “Blairite zombies” and Alan Strickland, cabinet member for housing and regeneration who was responsible for the HDV plan, who criticised the “narrow factionalism” during the contests.

Claire Kober, the high-profile council leader, fought off a challenge to win reselection in her ward, but it was seen as a warning that Momentum planned to support candidates that back Corbyn at all levels of the party.

Why did Momentum set its sights on Haringey? Sources close to the current leadership point to the late timing of the selections, which took place after the Left was emboldened by the general election, but also highlight “direct interference” from the leadership.

Mr Corbyn’s fingerprints appear to be all over Haringey. Party officials tasked with selection interviews were replaced at the last minute by councillors from other boroughs, including Corbynista Claudia Webbe, who sits on the party’s ruling NEC. “There’s only one way that the interviewers get changed and that’s when the leader’s office does it,” one senior London Labour figure said.

Critics believe they let various questionable people on the list, including those with links to the Socialist Workers Party and Militant.

Locals say Mr Corbyn, who cut his political teeth as a Haringey councillor in the Seventies, is often seen there. “It was the obvious focal point because of Jeremy’s history there. There are lots of Left-wing members and they felt that after the election was the moment to act,” said a Labour politician.

Shadow cabinet members have even showed up at selection meetings. Kate Osamor, the shadow international development secretary, spoke against two sitting candidates in one contest.

Momentum chief Jon Lansman, however, denied a purge, suggesting only that anti-HDV councillors had been targeted. “The truth in Haringey is the leadership tried to purge those councillors who, like party members, oppose its social cleansing plan,” he said.

The council insists that it has promised residents the right to return yet Lansman’s officials admit that taking Haringey would be a “big win”.

A Momentum insider said: “It’s a very exciting prospect, thinking about what we could do on budgeting, about austerity in the local area.” Asked if the leader’s office was involved, he said: “If they weren’t working together trying to elect Corbynite councillors I’d be surprised.”

But if they achieve their aim of taking over the council, what will they do? There is a strong possibility that the HDV will have already been signed — making it practically irreversible — before the new councillors begin next May.

Town halls have faced cuts of 60 per cent of core funding from central government since 2010, so money is tight. “They may want to be a radical Derek Hatton-style council, but they will face legal and financial obstacles,” said one official. “By law, they have to deliver a balanced budget these days.”

One Left-winger suggested they might use powers to raise council tax, although they would have to consult residents through a referendum if the increase is 2 per cent or more.

While much of the focus has been on Haringey, other boroughs including Ealing, Enfield and Lewisham have not escaped the Momentum surge.

Lambeth, with a strong Momentum presence, avoided deselections by holding contests before the general election.

In Lewisham Deptford, Lord Roy Kennedy, made a life peer by Gordon Brown, lost his trigger ballot this week. In Tower Hamlets and Newham, which are still selecting, candidates will have to contend with both Momentum and the East End’s racial politics.

One Labour council chief warned the acrimony of the selection battles across London was putting people off going into politics. “It’s just such a diversion. It’s hard enough in public life without feeling you are being attacked by your own side,” the leader said. “It’s demoralising and some people are already feeling pushed over the edge.”

Some in the party deny that there is an orchestrated campaign by the leadership to “purge” moderate politicians.

“I don’t think Jon Lansman is sat somewhere plotting with Jeremy to make this happen,” one said. “But there are plenty of people around them, both that want to strike while the iron is hot and make this happen.”

Matt Zarb-Cousin, a former Corbyn spokesman, told the Standard: “Given that Jeremy won two leadership contests, it is unsurprising that local members are selecting candidates whose politics better reflects their own.”

Others believe the involvement is more direct. “There’s no way local members are doing this on their own. They’re getting assistance to stir things up in a way they didn’t think of,” said one MP.

Momentum is now better funded, better staffed and has access to more data than ever. Many “soft Left” MPs, who still make up the bulk of the parliamentary party, believe Momentum’s sights have now turned to MP selections.

The first of these will start early next summer and continue over the course of the next 18 months, unless there is another snap election. MPs across the capital are jittery. The Standard approached several for comment, but all declined to go on the record.

Momentum candidates are expected to do well in the Labour selections. Ahead of June’s election, Left-wingers Marsha De Cordova and Emma Dent Coad were selected. Both won their seats from the Tories.

Many former centrists appear to have drifted to the Left, keeping their heads down so as not to upset new members.

But there key remain flashpoints, such as Stella Creasy’s Walthamstow seat and Vicky Foxcroft in Lewisham & Deptford.

“It’s not just about candidates being more Left-wing, it’s about them being more representative of the regular membership,” said one Momentum insider. “If there’s another snap election we will have people in place. We do want more power for members.”

Many constituency parties in London now have a Momentum chair or senior officials. “But it’s much easier to win control of the CLP than to select or deselect an MP,” said one party strategist.

For now, Corbyn has commissioned key lieutenant Katy Clark to carry out an internal review that is expected to make controversial recommendations on MPs’ selections by the end of March.

Many moderates fear it was only commissioned because the Left was failing to win seats.

However, some moderates remain bullish. “I’d be amazed if anybody actually lost a seat,” said one. “I think it’s less that MPs are terrified about their own future and more that they feel Jeremy has won the right to be heard.”

But MPs appear to view it differently. “Nobody thinks that. People are scared. Every conversation in the tea room is about this,” one told the Standard.

Another MP added: “There’s a battle going on for the CLPs. Momentum is trying to pick and choose which seats it goes for. The pressure isn’t coming from Jeremy, it’s from John [McDonnell]. But his fingerprints won’t be anywhere near, it will all be done through local proxies.”

Many MPs are furious at the suggestion of a Momentum “loyalty test” for would-be MPs. They would be asked to sign a 13-point contract tying them to its “political objectives” to win support.

Mike Gapes, MP for Ilford South, tweeted in response: “I joined the Labour party. I did not sign up to a Trotskyist party or a Stalinist cult… Labour remains a broad church.”