Resignation of Labour fixer sparks new power struggle between Jeremy Corbyn and moderate MPs

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn addresses delegates at the Scottish Labour Party Conference Getty

The Parliamentary Labour Party’s (PLP) top fixer has resigned, sparking another struggle between Jeremy Corbyn’s powerbase and moderate MPs. 

Wes Ball, who was previously a special adviser to Hilary Benn when he was the Shadow Environment Secretary, will leave his post of PLP secretary at the end of the year. Mr Ball is highly rated by MPs, many of whom fear that his successor in the role will be a hard leftwinger.

It is understood that the interviewing panel will include a representative from the leader’s office, as well as Labour’s general secretary, Iain McNicol, and John Cryer, the MP for Leyton and Wanstead who chairs the PLP. 

“The way things are in the party at the moment, this will be another example where the Corbynites try to swipe the position,” said a senior party source. Mr Ball declined to comment. 

However, the appointment process comes after a week in which Mr Corbyn’s many parliamentary detractors began to squeeze his authority. On Friday, his policy chief, Andrew Fisher, was suspended from the Labour Party because he campaigned for an anarchist candidate during the general election. 

Andrew Fisher has attracted criticism in the past for his tweets

Mr Fisher also described Ed Miliband’s front bench as “the most abject collection of absolute s****”. 

Caroline Flint, the Blairite former Europe minister, made a formal complaint about him becoming an adviser, but Mr Corbyn said he had “full confidence” in Mr Fisher “and his work”. 

The moderates also took control of key PLP departmental backbench committees last week, including Ms Flint’s uncontested election as chair of the energy and climate change committee. Chris Leslie, the former Shadow Chancellor, has taken  charge of the Treasury committee. 

Previously, these positions have not been seen as particularly important, but capturing most of the chairmanships was designed as a show of strength to illustrate that Mr Corbyn’s leadership is not absolute. 

In a third blow, Jim McMahon, leader of Oldham Council, beat three leftwingers, among them Mohammed Azam, to be selected  as Labour’s candidate in next month’s Oldham West by-election.