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Labour Deputy Leader Tom Watson has revealed a document suggesting ways far-left activists can 'take control' of Labour Party meetings, which he says is proof his concerns of party infiltration are more than a 'conspiracy theory'

He claims the document is being passed between members of Jeremy Corbyn -backing pressure group Momentum with links to hard-left groups.

The tip-sheet, Mr Watson said, borrows from the playbook of Militant, the hard-left group which took control of Labour in the 1980s, and from a book about them by Michael Crick.

It suggests making the meetings boring by flooding them with procedure, process and minutes of previous meetings, with the effect that those with "better things to do...simply no longer turn up."

It goes on to suggest posing "uncomradely questions" and questioning the motives of sitting councillors and MPs, again with the purpose of reducing the number of people attending meetings.

Once the "troublesome moderates" are out of the way, the document says, policy and political decisions can be taken and will "pass almost by acclaim".

(Image: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)

A spokesperson for Momentum said: “We are not aware of the document that Tom Watson refers to in his letter.”

“The description quoted from Michael Crick’s book runs entirely contrary to Momentum’s ethos and ways of organising. Momentum wishes to help the Labour Party become more open and participatory. Our movement helps bring people into politics and the labour movement, not shut them out. Momentum members and supporters would have no truck with the type of described in this alleged quotation.”

“Momentum has a Code of Ethics and a process to deal with allegations of breaches of our Code. Without due process, seeing the document referred to and the conditions for its circulation, we cannot comment on how we would act. We are committed to building an open and participatory mass Labour Party that can win elections to transfer power and wealth to the overwhelming majority.”

Mr Watson sent the document to Jeremy Corbyn today, along with a dossier of further evidence of hard-left infiltration, in response a statement from the Corbyn campaign issued yesterday dismissing his concerns.

The Deputy Leader raised the concerns in an interview with the Guardian, in which Mr Watson warned: "There are Trots that have come back to the party and they certainly don’t have the best interests of the Labour party at heart.

"They see the Labour party as a vehicle for revolutionary socialism, and they’re not remotely interested in winning elections, and that’s a problem."

(Image: PA)

In response, the Jeremy for Labour campaign accused Mr Watson of "peddling baseless conspiracy theories".

Mr Watson said: "I have no doubt that many Momentum members are genuine in their desire to campaign vigorously against Tory inequality but there is no denying that tightly organised factions are also organising within Momentum and the party."

He said his comments in the Guardian were only "amplifying what we both know to be true" - that members of the Socialist Party (formerly Militant) and other banned organisations are trying to join Labour in increasing numbers.

He added: "I assume that you still support the proscription of other political parties. If the position has changed, please just let me know because I think it would be useful to discuss within the party."

A spokesperson for Jeremy Corbyn confirmed the leader's position had not changed on the matter of proscribed parties.

Here's the document Mr Watson claims is being passed between members of Momentum with links to hard-left parties

How to take control of Labour party meetings.