JEREMY Corbyn’s loyal Momentum group has been slammed by Labour moderates after only giving its members the option of backing Rebecca Long Bailey.
The far-left movement has pushed the “continuity Corbyn” candidate forward to be the new leader and ignored the four other contenders vying for the leadership.
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The pro-Corbyn campaign group asked its 40,000 members to vote “yes or no” on whether Momentum should follow its national group – the NCG – and endorse Rebecca Long-Bailey as leader.
The group said in its letter to members: “(The NCG) made the recommendation on the basis that she is the only candidate committed to advancing the transformative agenda established by Jeremy Corbyn and furthering the democratisation of the party”
The move sparked fury from Labour party moderates who claimed it was “ridiculous” that members weren’t able to vote for any other candidate, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Former Labour MP Gwynoro Jones branded the move “straight out of the way voting takes place in China or Russia”.
He blasted the group on twitter: “How absurd is this? ‘democracy’ in the affiliates of .UKLabour.”
Former BBC journalist and Labour activist Paul Mason compared the survey to a “South American dictatorship”.
Rebecca Long-Bailey was shown up in the first stage of the Labour leadership race by Remainer London MP Sir Keir Starmer, who took the lions’ share of the nominations from other MPs and MEPs.
The race is now on to secure the backing of Constituency Labour Parties (CLPS) and affiliated members including trade unions.
Backbencher MP Lisa Nandy was given the endorsement of the National Union of Mineworkers yesterday,
The trade union said she was the only candidate who can “regain trust with the voters we’ve lost”.
The MP for Wigan is also expected to be backed by GMB.
Ms Nandy is also reported to have met with Unite boss Len McCLuskey, who was expected to throw the union’s support behind Ms Long-Bailey to succeed Mr Corbyn.
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The five remaining candidates – Ms Long-Bailey, Sir Keir, Ms Nandy, Emily Thornberry and Jess Phillips – have until February 14 to secure the backing of 33 CLP’s or three affiliated members of the Labour party, two of which must be trade unions.
The Sun has approached Momentum for comment.
