Momentum, the grassroots group of Jeremy Corbyn supporters, has stressed it will not campaign nationally to deselect any Labour MP after reports of a “hit list” targeting up to 50 for replacement.
Jon Lansman, the organisation’s founder who recently won a seat on Labour’s ruling body, dismissed the idea that Momentum was working to oust any MP and said the idea of a list had “no factual basis whatsoever”.
But he said local constituency parties could take it upon themselves to replace any MP who was not performing well or failing to listen to members.
Lansman made the comments in an interview with the Independent at a time when Corbyn-sceptic Labour MPs are increasingly worried that their local activist bases may want to replace them.
Some Corbyn supporters, such as the leftwing MP Chris Williamson, have supported the idea of colleagues undergoing a full mandatory reselection process.
However, Labour is undertaking a review of party democracy that could introduce less drastic changes that would still make it easier for MPs to be challenged.
Lansman offered some reassurance for Labour MPs, saying: “Momentum nationally is not going to campaign to deselect any MP and we will stick by that. We are not going to campaign to deselect any individual MP.
“We have made it clear that we are not going to campaign to deselect anyone, at all, anywhere.”
He said the existing process was already in place should local parties wish to ditch their candidate at an election, known as the trigger ballot.
“No Labour MP that works hard and campaigns and listens to their members has anything to fear from the selection process,” he said.
