Jeremy Corbyn allies blast 'divisive and brutal' Keir Starmer as old Labour Party wounds ripped open
Sir Keir Starmer banned Jeremy Corbyn from standing as a Labour MP earlier this week
PA
Left-wing Labour MPs have lashed out at Sir Keir Starmer's ban on Jeremy Corbyn standing as a party candidate at the next election, ripping open deep divides within the Opposition.
Supporters and close allies of the former Labour leader have told GB News of their anger at the Starmer, accusing him of being "divisive and brutal".
They warned the action risked Labour appearing too focused on internal party politics and not enough on the issues which matter to the country.
On Tuesday, the Labour Party’s ruling National Executive committee passed a motion put forward by the incumbent leader to block Corbyn's candidacy at the next election. There is no appeals process.
Keir Starmer brought forward a motion to formalise the ban on Tuesday
PAInternal party rows over antisemitism had resulted in Corbyn sitting as an independent MP in the House of Commons since 2020.
The former party leader was critical of the decision taken by the National Executive Committee, saying that the decision was a "shameful attack on party democracy, party members and natural justice".
Former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said: "This decision will be seen as divisive and brutal, victimising someone who has given his life to our movement."
He added: "There are no legitimate grounds for barring Jeremy Corbyn."
Another Labour MP who remains close to the former party leader told GB News: "I worry about singling out any MP without offering a fair process and right to a defence.
"There should be a proper process and Jeremy should be subjected to that, and if he passes, he should then go through to an open selection in Islington North."
Allies have also highlighted Starmer's support for local memberships selecting their candidates “for every election” when he was running to become Labour leader.
“The selections for Labour candidates needs to be more democratic and we should end NEC impositions of candidates,” he said in 2020.
Jeremy Corbyn's departure angered many of his supporters
PAThe Islington North Labour Party have made clear they would select Corbyn as their candidate if given a choice.
However, while supporters of Corbyn are furious at the action taken by Starmer, many of his critics are positive about the action taken by the party leadership.
Former Rochdale Labour MP Simon Danczuk, once described by the Financial Times as Jeremy Corbyn's fiercest internal critic, said: "It's right that Starmer has stopped Corbyn from standing at the General Election, he should never have been in the Labour Party in the first place."
He continued: "Corbyn is an extremist who doesn't understand working people."
Starmer's NEC motion had argued Labour’s chances of winning the next election and securing a majority in the Commons would be “significantly diminished” if Corbyn was endorsed.