Labour party staff who are angry that they face losing their jobs while senior aides to Jeremy Corbyn remain on the payroll have been called in to meetings to discuss possible redundancies.
A leaked email sent on Wednesday shows that workers and advisers from the offices of the Labour leader and shadow ministers have been invited to meetings with their line managers following Thursday’s catastrophic election result.
The email, sent by Labour’s HR director, Joe Perry, said: “Following the result of the general election and engagement with the trade unions, we wanted to write to you to provide you with an update on the impact of this on you and your current role.
“There have been some immediate changes, some of which you will be aware of; such as resignations and shadow cabinet members who have lost their seats, as well as a reduction in Short money through which we fund a lot of our political roles.”
Short money is funded by the taxpayer and allocated according to the party’s parliamentary strength. It was worth £8m to Labour in 2018, its latest annual report showed.
The email continued: “We are writing to you directly as you are either in role directly linked to individuals or impacted by these changes and therefore will be inviting you to a 121 meeting to discuss what the process will be and how we can best support you during what we appreciate is a difficult time.”
Labour’s communications director, Seumas Milne, and one of the party’s election directors, Karie Murphy, remain in their posts despite the party’s worst showing since the 1930s.
Most of those who work for the leader of the opposition are on time-limited contracts while Jeremy Corbyn remains leader. It is understood that Milne and Murphy were moved across to permanent contracts with the Labour party some months ago.
Party staff are understood to have discussed going on strike unless Milne and Murphy also leave the party.
One Labour staffer at risk of redundancy said: “Where there is real anger here is what’s happened with Karie and Seumas being put on permanent contracts with the Labour party. It’s not rare, it is unprecedented. It has never happened before.”
He added: “It’s one rule for some, one rule for the others.”
Last year, Milne was paid £104,000 while Murphy, a friend of the Unite leader, Len McCluskey, received £92,000.
Murphy was Corbyn’s chief of staff but was moved aside in October in the wake of a series of clashes over strategy and management style.
• This article was amended on December 19 to make clear that Milne and Murphy moved onto permanent contracts with the Labour party before the election.
