GETTY/SWNS MPs Harriet Harman, centre, and Angela Eagle, right, do not support Jeremy Corbyn

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Peter Taaffe, who was at a meeting of the Socialist Party in central London to defend Mr Corbyn, said: "It would be better if the Right resigned and formed their own full capitalist party, but failing that it would be much more preferable to have a Labour party which goes back to its socialist roots." He told the Press Association: "We now think that it would be far better if the right were removed from their positions in the movement and real fighters for working people were elected. But if they want a split from the Labour party, that's their business. "The Labour party should open up and become a democratic federal organisation like it was in the beginning."

Labour should become a democratic federal organisation like it was in the beginning Peter Taaffe

The activist said that many of the MPs who have not supported Mr Corbyn were not "based in the traditions of the real Labour movement", which he defined as "working class struggle, and which is socialism". Mr Taaffe said that opinions in constituencies had now changed and he called for MPs who did not support Mr Corbyn, including Angela Eagle, to step down. The general secretary also criticised the changes made by Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) which will affect who can vote in the upcoming leadership election.

The NEC has set a January 12 cut-off date for new Labour members to have the right to vote in the leadership battle, meaning that more than 100,000 who have joined the party since the EU referendum will not be able to take part.

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But there is a two-day window next week in which people can secure a vote by signing up as registered supporters for a £25 fee. Mr Taaffe said it was a "desperate measure by the right to turn back the wheel of history". "What is absolutely scandalous and completely undemocratic is the other measures that were put in place to stop the associate members from exercising their full rights which they've had until now, that they paid three pounds to join the Labour party, you could vote in an election contest.

SWNS Jeremy Corbyn had to fight his way through a media scrum in London

"That now has been changed to only those who were members in January of this year, and that moreover to re-register they will have to pay £25 which is not much for people who are very rich but for young people, for students and so on there's a barrier.

Labour MP resignations Mon, June 27, 2016 The members of Labour party's Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet who have resigned this year 2016 Play slideshow PA 1 of 26 Labour MP resignations full list