Labour have called on the country’s top civil servant to investigate newspaper reports about Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s health attributed to civil service sources.
Jon Trickett, Labour’s shadow minister for the Cabinet Office, has written to the Cabinet Secretary and head of the Civil Service, Mark Sedwill, to call for an independent inquiry.
In the letter, Mr Trickett describes the report in the Times on Saturday as a “totally unwarranted and indeed unconstitutional political intervention with disturbing implications for our democratic system” and formally requests a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary to discuss the matter.
It comes after one of Jeremy Corbyn’s top allies rubbished as “fake news” claims he had suffered a stroke amid renewed fears for the Labour leader’s health.
The Unite the union boss hit out at reports the party chief is too frail and physically and mentally unfit to become PM.
(Image: AFP)
He told the BBC: “ Jeremy Corbyn is as fit as a fiddle, he’s one of the strongest individuals I have ever met.
“People 20 years younger can’t keep up with him.”
Earlier, Mr Corbyn launched an angry fightback over slurs against his health. Labour has dismissed “categorically untrue” reports the party leader suffered a stroke earlier this year.
The claim came in a report containing anonymous quotes from civil servants questioning whether Mr Corbyn was physically or mentally ready for No10, amid mounting expectation of a snap general election this autumn.
Mr Corbyn said it “should be very concerning to all of us’ that civil servants ‘should be briefing a newspaper against an elected politician, against a prospective government”.
He added: “The Civil Service has to be independent; has to be nonpolitical and has to be non-judgmental of the politicians they have a duty to serve.
“That is the way British democracy must work
“There must be an investigation into which senior civil servants are spreading fictitious information to the press and in the process compromising the integrity of the Civil Service.”
The Times’ front page story reported that officials are concerned Mr Corbyn’s health may force him to stand down as Labour leader and suggested he is being “propped up” by his advisers.
The newspaper quoted a senior civil servant as saying: “There is a real worry that the Labour leader isn’t up to the job physically or mentally but is being propped up by those around him.
“There’s growing concern that he’s too frail and is losing his memory. He’s not in charge of his own party.”
Labour strenuously denied the claims, saying suggestions that Mr Corbyn does not make his own decisions are “laughable” and “demonstrably false”.
A spokesman said: “Jeremy Corbyn leads an active life, running and cycling regularly, and is in good health.
“Reports to the contrary are scurrilous and a transparent attempt to undermine Labour’s efforts to redistribute wealth and power from the few to the many.”
Mr Corbyn also received backing in the matter from former Ukip MP Douglas Carswell.
He tweeted: “I’d rather have my country run by democratically elected Jeremy Corbyn than the smug, self regarding, incompetent Whitehall officials that briefed this to the Times.
“Get these vile Sir Humphry’s out!”
