Centrist Labour MPs threaten to quit party if they are deselected

John Ashmore

Centrist Labour MPs have said they could quit the party or trigger by-elections if leftwingers push for deselections.



The victory yesterday of three Corbynite candidates in elections to the National Executive Committee has swung the balance of power in the party in favour of the left.

Among the winners was Jon Lansman, the founder and chair of campaigning group Momentum.

They now potentially have the power to change Labour's rule book to force mandatory reselections in all constituencies, although reports suggest Mr Corbyn himself is by no means wedded to the idea.

Sources have suggested the trade unions could also try to block any move to try and unseat existing MPs.

“There’s no reason to wait it out [in Labour] for years when we disagree with the direction of the party if we’re deselected. We would have no interest in toeing the line," a centrist MP told the Times.

Speaking to the same paper another MP warned: “Corbyn has a lot to lose from going down this route. If people start being deselected, what’s to stop them standing against him for the leadership? Or finding other jobs and causing by-elections that Labour might lose?”

“If you want to look like a united government in waiting, the last thing you want is a whole load of bitter selection rows.”