Labour should suspend its leadership race over fears it is being warped by a wave of hard-Left 'infiltrators', two MPs said yesterday.
Tens of thousands more activists are now eligible to vote than before the General Election, with indications that many of them have signed up just to back Jeremy Corbyn.
The Communist Party of Great Britain is among the groups that have urged supporters to join Labour and endorse the Islington North MP. Under new rules, they can pay just £3 and take part in the ballot.
Backbencher John Mann said the contest was 'totally out of control', and insisted acting leader Harriet Harman should step in so proper checks can be conducted.
'It should be halted,' he told The Sunday Times. 'It is becoming a farce with long-standing members in danger of getting trumped by people who have opposed the Labour Party and want to break it up – some of it is the Militant Tendency types coming back in.'
Of course, there are a few dicks, including a Tory town councillor. But the real explanation for this mass influx of members - 20,000 since nominations closed, plus a surge in registered supporters and affiliates as well - is that faced with a genuine contest and a real choice of direction, UK Labour supporters are taking the opportunity to sign up and get involved. But real choice in politics is exactly what the Blairites are opposed to. And faced with people demanding it, their natural response is to dissolve the people and elect another...