Jeremy Corbyn plans to stamp his authority on the Labour Party by giving hundreds of thousands of party members a greater say on policy through regular ‘plebiscites’ on controversial topics, it is understood.

In a move that would help sideline moderate Labour MPs, Mr Corbyn hopes to strengthen party members’ influence over policy if he wins the leadership by holding email polls of members.

Senior sources close to the leader said the move would fulfill an ambition he has been pushing since his original leadership campaign last year to democratise policy making.