Hundreds of Labour councillors and grassroots members want to align themselves with deputy leader Tom Watson’s moderate group, his team said today.
The deputy leader set up the Future Britain Group to “develop social democratic policy ideas” in the wake of nine MPs quitting the Labour Party. Critics have described it as a “party within a party” and a challenge to Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
More than 150 Labour MPs and peers attended its inaugural meeting in Westminster last night, including New Labour figures David Blunkett and Peter Mandelson. But its influence is already spreading further down the party’s democratic structures, according to Mr Watson’s team.
Darren Jones MP, who is leading on policy ideas for the Future Britain Group, said: “We’ve had lots of emails from people who want to get involved in the conversation around social democratic policy and we need to provide a mechanism for them to do that.
“The point of Future Britain is to bring people together from across the Labour Party to work collaboratively to come up with ideas for the country, and those in local government are on the front line of services we want to look at.
“I’ve had emails from councillors, members and former staffers getting in touch to be part of it. What’s clear is there is a huge demand for this.”
Lord Mandelson said it was time for Blairites and Brownites to work together to “save the party” after the first meeting which was also attended by shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald and shadow ministers, including Tracy Brabin, Rosena Allin-Khan and Liam Byrne.
Mr Watson caused controversy when he launched Future Britain, with some Corbyn supporters believing he is laying the ground for a leadership bid. At the first meeting he said it was not a faction but instead intended to pull the Parliamentary Labour Party together at a time when members have quit because they are unhappy.
He said: “The departure of good people was for me a personal wake-up call to step up and do more.
“I really fear that unless we restore pluralism and tolerance to this party it will be irreparably damaged and we will see a schism bigger than any we have experienced in our long history.”
Mr Watson’s spokeswoman denied Future Britain was an attempt to challenge Labour’s Momentum group, which has been pivotal in campaigning for the party in marginal seats.
