Attempts by the left to oust centrist Labour politicians are “heartbreaking” and not the way forward for the party, a leading frontbencher has said.

Angela Rayner criticised the moves by Jeremy Corbyn’s left-wing supporters, revealed in The Times, to deselect centrist councillors and put up their own candidates in elections in May.

The shadow education secretary said: “Our MPs have an absolute right to be there and to have their voices heard and so do our councillors who do a tremendous job. They’ve had seven years of austerity, managing the decline when central government have cut their money, but they are always thinking about how they can support their communities and do the right thing.”

Labour councillors have been deselected in a vote of