Leftwinger to take his push for mandatory reselection of MPs to constituencies of moderates

Labour leftwinger Chris Williamson is taking his campaign for a mandatory reselection process for MPs to the backyards of some of his moderate colleagues as he launches a summer roadshow to promote internal party democracy.

The Derby North MP, an ardent supporter of Jeremy Corbyn, risks the wrath of centrist colleagues as he pitches up in some of their constituencies to meet Labour members in the run-up to the party conference in September .

The former frontbencher believes mandatory reselection is “crucial” and that giving party members the right to select would strengthen and enhance the role of parliamentarians.

He has previously appeared to suggest that MPs critical of Corbyn’s leadership should be deselected, speaking of “interest groups and individual MPs in this party who think it’s their God-given right to rule”.

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His tour comes as Labour conducts a review into the party’s democratic structures before the conference in Liverpool. The review has been billed as an overhaul of how the party elects its leadership and selects its MPs.

“Labour is no longer a party representing the Westminster bubble. We have well over half a million members who deserve a voice. More than this, active members are key to our success as a party. It’s their good sense that will keep Labour on track,” Williamson said.

“The tour will hold events wherever we’re invited. It’s democracy for the many. And if MPs are serious about representing our movement then they obviously have nothing to worry about. I want to see power in the hands of ordinary people. That’s what the Labour movement is about.”

The MP claimed he had been invited by members in constituencies including Ilford, Bermondsey, Nottingham East and Barrow.



But his plans elicited an exasperated response from some of those MPs whose seats he plans to visit. Neil Coyle, MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, said: “Chris lost his seat once and he seems intent on not winning it again … Perhaps more focus locally would help his chances and better harness his energy.”

Williamson lost the Derby North seat to Conservative Amanda Solloway in the 2015 general election. He reclaimed the seat in the snap election last year.

John Woodcock, the MP for Barrow who has been suspended from the party, said: “I fear that the prospects of any Labour MP in a seat like mine will not be helped by an appearance from an ardent supporter of the communist Morning Star and regular guest on Vladimir Putin’s propaganda channel RT. But that is possibly his intention.”

Williamson, who announced the tour on Twitter along with a video of him striding past the camera in slow motion to Born to be Wild, responded: “I do expect some MPs will throw their toys out the pram. But this elitist behaviour has to stop. We have a world to win and they should get on board or do something else.”

He resigned as shadow minister for fire and emergency services in January after straying outside his brief, and party policy, to argue that council tax should be doubled on higher-value homes. He has since rolled back that position, saying instead that councils should hold a referendum on a more progressive rerating of council tax bands.

After the Salisbury attack in March, Williamson took aim at Labour MPs who backed Theresa May’s tough response to the Kremlin, branding them “political enemies” and saying he would be happy if they “buggered off”.