Former Labour MP, now independent member of the House of Lords John Mann has told GB News that in 2019, the pro-Corbyn executive of the Labour Party “stitched up” multiple MP selections ahead of that year’s snap general election.
The explosive comments come in response to the deselection of left wing Labour MP Sam Tarry in his Ilford South seat earlier this week, where incumbent Tarry was defeated by more centrist candidate Jas Athwal by 361 votes to 499.
But there's more to this story than first meets the eye.
Athwal was shortlisted for the Ilford seat in 2019, only to suddenly find himself suspended from the Labour Party the day before the nomination.
The suspension came from the National Executive Committee of the party, which at the time had a pro-Corbyn majority, after one allegation of sexual harassment, which a senior Labour Party source has told GB News was backed up with no evidence.
So serious questions arise about Tarry's selection in the first place. John Mann told GB News this morning that this was not an isolated incident.
“It was totally stitched up, but it wasn’t just there it was done. In the seat I used to represent, Bassetlaw, at the same time they did exactly the same thing. Trumped up charges against the person who had actually been selected there, who came from London and was moderate in the Labour Party, totally fictitious charges and they got rid of her and put in their own stooge.”
Sam Tarry, the former shadow transport minister was deselected earlier this week from his
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Asked if he was suggesting across 2019, the pro-Corbyn Labour Party trumped up bogus harassment allegations against a number of candidates to get the Blairites out and the Corbynites in, Lord Mann responded “that’s exactly what they did.”
“Bogus trumped up charges. The ones I am very aware of were the ones in Bassetlaw. They were absolutely extraordinary. They were totally fictitious. They were outrageous.”
“And the only question was did the candidate in the middle of a general election sue her own party for the outrageous stuff that they did. She chose not to do so, and Mr. Athwal chose not to do so. He has got his ‘revenge’ you might say.”
GB News has contacted Mr Tarry and Mr Corbyn for comment.
