Anti-austerity marchers protest in central London yesterday. The rally attracted a crowd of about 15,000

Labour moderates are plotting to form a new centrist party if Jeremy Corbyn’s allies start deselecting MPs, according to senior figures with links to Tony Blair.

Former donors have been approached about backing a new party — despite Labour’s strong performance in the general election — after Corbyn’s allies signalled that they want to purge critics of the leader and change party rules to strengthen their position at the Labour conference in September.

Some hope to enlist celebrities such as JK Rowling and Gary Lineker to back a new third party.

The Labour moderate Liz Kendall has revealed she was threatened with deselection as an MP within 48 hours of the election on June 8.

The former Labour leadership candidate spoke out as Corbyn’s new