Jeremy Corbyn support group Momentum is forcing would-be Labour candidates to swear loyalty to its vision for the party before it will back their bid to become MPs.
One councillor for the party has publicly admitted he has signed up to the campaigners’ “political objectives”, while several others are also believed to have put their name to the agreement.
In one of the 13 pledges in the accord, hopefuls must agree to “fully implement” the manifesto of Labour if the party get into government.
While it is not necessary to have the backing of Momentum to become a Labour MP, the grassroots group’s power, resources and influence within party circles make the prospect of doing so without its approval considerably less straightforward.
Momentum is widely regarded to have played a key role in Labour’s positive general election result in June, which saw the party close a 22-point poll gap to remove Theresa May’s majority in a humiliating blow for the Tories.
One Labour MP described the move by Momentum as a “Stalinist approach to politics” – because the would-be candidates were giving away their “right to independent judgement” in office.
The pressure group had already been sending the contracts to organisations such as trade unions, but has only just begun forwarding the agreements to potential candidates as well.
The hopeful parliamentary members sign two documents in the deal with Momentum – a constitution that binds them to its vision and a code of ethics stating how they should act in office.
One candidate who signed up with the group is Peter Chowney - leader of Hastings borough council – who said he was unfazed by claims that the contract would undermine his independence in office.
“I’m not a member of Momentum, but they approached me and because I fully support the manifesto and was one of the few Labour council leaders to back Jeremy Corbyn in both his leadership contests, I am happy to sign up. It’s not like I am signing anything in blood,” he told The Observer.
But one Labour MP, speaking anonymously, criticised the loyalty deal with Momentum.
“It reflects a Stalinist approach to politics that Momentum would come up with such a contract for candidates. It has worrying implications for our democracy that there could be MPs in parliament who have signed away their right to independent judgement,” he told The Observer.
A spokesman for Momentum admitted to The Independent it sought to sign up would-be Labour candidates who shared its “aims and values” before it pledged its support.
“It’s a perfectly normal part of selecting prospective parliamentary candidates for Labour supporting organisations, including trade unions and others, to back candidates that share the aims and values of their members,” the spokesman wrote in a statement.
“Momentum wants to see a member-led Labour Party capable of winning elections on a transformative, socialist programme that will reshape Britain. It shouldn’t be a surprise that we’d back candidates who share that vision.”
The spokesman could not immediately reveal how many would-be candidates had signed the so-called loyalty contract with the organisation.
The Independent contacted the Labour Party for comment but it did not immediately respond.
