PA Supporters of Jeremy Corbyn apparently posed as undecideds during a TV debate

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This website has unearthed evidence several audience members at the Victoria Derbyshire show last week were seated by BBC bosses in the supposedly neutral part of the audience, despite the fact that they have already pledged their allegiance to Labour’s embattled leader. The debate show caused a massive stir amongst Labour members when, at the end of a bruising two-hour battle between Mr Corbyn and rival Owen Smith, the majority of the ‘undecideds’ section declared their allegiance for the party’s veteran left-wing chief. A source close to Mr Smith called on the Labour leader to condemn his supporters’ behaviour, saying it had given a skewed impression of the contest.

There is no suggestion that Mr Corbyn or any of his team knew of his supporters’ actions. A spokesman for the BBC denied the claims. Delighted Corbynistas whooped and clapped in delight when host Miss Derbyshire invited the undecideds to walk over and join the section of the audience in favour of who they felt had won the debate, prompting a mass exodus towards Mr Corbyn’s ranks. On social media dozens of the Islington MP’s supporters immediately leapt on the moment, stating it disproved the dozens of opinion polls which have indicated that Mr Corbyn is the least popular Labour leader of all time and all but unelectable.

BBC The trio all spoke during a televised debate hosted by Victoria Derbyshire

BBC Young mum Laura said she was undecided but admitted Corbyn would be her 'choice' for leader

However, evidence pieced together by express.co.uk indicates that at least three of the fourty-strong undecided contingent had previously expressed either strong anti-Smith opinions or pro-Corbyn sentiments. At the end of the debate, when asked if they had made their minds up, all three joined the Mr Corbyn side of the room. One of those members - young mum Laura from Lincoln - admitted on social media that she had joined the Labour Party because of Mr Corbyn and had said before the debate he would be her "choice" in the upcoming party leadership contest. Early on during the debate she spoke passionately about the levels of abuse she feels new Labour members have had to endure in both the party and the media, indicating that she feels they have been type-cast as fanatical about their leader. She said: “The names that I’ve been called. I’m a mum on maternity leave, I’m no cult member. My membership is questioned and my values are questioned.”

BBC A local Labour branch member said Rachael Long was definitely not undecided

BBC John Sanderson wrote a blog days before the debate branding Smith supporters 'Blairites'

However, her appearance caused a furore on social media after other users noticed that she was in the undecideds section despite previously voicing strong pro-Corbyn opinions. Addressing the criticism on Twitter, she wrote after the debate: “I joined the party because I was inspired by Jeremy, and I’ve openly stated he would be my choice.” But she then added: "I'm still quite open minded. I have the ability to listen and take on board others' views so it's simply not true that it was just a 'Corbynista' plot." Another audience member to speak from the undecideds section was John Sanderson, of the Musicians’ Union, who days before the debate wrote a blog post in which he was viciously critical of Mr Smith, whose supporters he branded “Blairites”. During the debate Mr Sanderson railed against the Labour MPs who voted for a no-confidence motion against Mr Corbyn, sparking the current leadership contest, arguing: “All those Labour MPs who voted for the Iraq War were wrong.”

In a blog post on the Derbyshire Dales Labour Party website, uploaded just days before the debate, Mr Sanderson launched a blistering attack on Mr Owen which sheds doubt on whether he would ever have any intention of voting for him. After his union announced its backing for the leadership rival, Mr Sanderson called for the endorsement to be “withdrawn” and said it “bears all the hallmarks of the undemocratic and downright dirty campaign being waged by Owen Smith and his right-wing Blairite supporters”. A third audience member in the undecideds section, Rachael Long, was less subtle about hiding her apparent preference for Mr Corbyn during the live TV showdown. Ms Long later said it was "untrue" that she had already made her mind up. The Labour party member told Miss Derbyshire during the debate that she was “very pleased” when the Labour leader was elected. She also took a swipe at Labour MPs who overwhelmingly back Mr Smith for the party leadership, saying they were “puerile” and lacked respect for Corbynistas.

She told the debate: “I was very pleased when Jeremy got elected last year and this situation now is very depressing. “I just find it so divisive. I’m getting abuse and people that support Corbyn are getting abuse…being called Maomentum. I find it very hostile. “I don’t feel that respect is being made by the Owen Smith supporters and I feel the debate is more and more puerile. The MPs have created a very, very divisive atmosphere.” Cllr Paul Wilkinson, who is in the same East Midlands Labour branch as Ms Long, said she had been “dishonest” to give the impression she was undecided. He said: “She might make protestations but it’s been very, very clear from her words and deeds over the last few weeks that she’s anything but.”

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