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Wallasey MP Angela Eagle WAS subject to homophobic abuse and targeted because she challenged leader Jeremy Corbyn – according to Labour party chiefs.

A confidential report leaked to the ECHO details a Labour party investigation into allegations of abuse and intimidation at the Wallasey Constituency Labour Party (CLP).

Although the claims have always been strongly denied by some party members, the report calls for the local party to remain suspended until next year.

The report comes against a background of claims of a “militant”-style takeover of the Wallasey Labour Party by hard left activists.

Now a meeting of a sub-committee of the Labour party’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), has upheld the contents of the investigation report. Following the NEC meeting, Ms Eagle said: “The report by national party officers comprehensively explains what happened earlier this year and the NEC has accepted the findings.”

The Wallasey MP also paid tribute to Labour leader Corbyn, who attended the NEC meeting in London and “expressed sympathy” for Ms Eagle.

The Wallasey Labour party faced a catalogue of complaints during the summer which first emerged when it sent a letter in support of Mr Corbyn following the referendum vote, and urged Ms Eagle to support him.

This was followed by claims of:

Homophobic abuse directed against the Wallasey MP at a party meeting;

A window smashed – “bricked” – at her constituency office building, as the MP launched a challenge against the Labour leader;

Claims of intimidation by some party members.

All the accusations were strongly denied by some members of the Wallasey CLP and a meeting was even held at Wallasey town hall by “rebel” Labour members to rebut the accusations of any wrongdoing.

After Labour’s ruling NEC met yesterday to discuss the investigation of Wallasey CLP, Ms Eagle said: “I am proud to have been the Member of Parliament for Wallasey for 24 years and to have had a good relationship with most local Labour activists for all of that time.

“I am grateful that Jeremy took the unusual step of both attending and speaking in the meeting and that he expressed sincere sympathy for both me and for my staff.

“It is now clear and accepted by the NEC that homophobic abuse was perpetrated by some members of the local Party; I will simply not tolerate it, and I know I have the backing of both Jeremy and union leaders when I say that there is no place for it in the Labour movement either.

“As regards the vandalism of my office, I am grateful to both the internal investigators and the NEC for making clear both the facts of the matter and for the support of members up and down the country, including the Leader of the Labour Party, that such abuse both happened and is intolerable.”

According to the report, the investigation included “approximately 100 statements” which were anonymised because “some members remain fearful of repercussions if they speak out on these matters”.

Now the “confidential” investigation report has concluded there was homophobic abuse, the broken window was linked to Ms Eagle’s leadership challenge and recommended the local party remain suspended until a review next spring.

The report also says any meetings should be overseen by Labour’s regional office, who will also take over selecting candidates.

Local Labour officers will also be told to “receive training on organisational matters before the end of the suspension”.

Read the key findings of the report here.

The ECHO attempted to contact a Wallasey Labour party official for comment last night, but they were unavailable.