Today’s Morning Star splashes on a disturbing story. It concerns Darren Williams, who was elected to Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) last week upon Ken Livingstone’s resignation from the committee as the next runner up from the last elections (Livingstone is unable to attend meetings due to his suspension, and is no longer a candidate for the current round of elections).

In recent months, we have catalogued on these pages the Labour right’s increasing concern with controlling the executive – by any means necessary. This has been most notable in Jim Murphy’s attempt – in vain – to keep leftwinger Rhea Wolfson off the upcoming ballot. Now Williams, within 48 hours of succeeding Livingstone, has been summoned to a meeting to answer potential disciplinary charges.

In an email from Labour discipline supremo Kat Buckingham seen by the Star, Cardiff city councillor and PCS union officer Williams is accused of having “taken a photo of Welsh Labour print material and sent this to the press”. Buckingham says that should this be true, it would likely be deemed “prejudicial to the Party’s interests“. A bizarre enough statement at the utmost peak of leaking from far higher echelons of the party. But on top of that, Williams reportedly has no idea to what event this allegation refers.

Buckingham continues:

I should stress that the evidence I have received is strong. I will be reporting this matter to the NEC Disputes Panel on Tuesday and I am asking to meet with you on Monday to gather your views in advance of that meeting.

Is it a coincidence that a left-wing member of the executive is being targeted at a time when the body may have to adjudicate on whether Jeremy Corbyn is allowed on the ballot paper automatically in the event of a leadership challenge? As John Junor was fond of saying, I don’t know, but I think we should be told.