LABOUR groups critical of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership are to hold a summit in Edinburgh this week to discuss opposition to his political agenda in the party.
The Blairite faction Progress and Labour First, representing the right of the party, are staging a “moderate meet up” with Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray listed as one of the speakers.
Corbyn’s strong performance during the General Election campaign has consolidated his position as leader, but the left still does not have control of elements of the party machine.
The leader’s supporters do not have a majority on the ruling National Executive Committee and many MPs remain sceptical about the direction he has taken Labour.
A key issue for the left is changing the nomination rules for a leadership contest, so that a Corbynista candidate is on the ballot paper.
Current rules stipulate that potential candidates need the support of 15 per cent of MPs and MEPs, a hurdle which could prevent a left-winger from standing.
The so-called “McDonnell amendment” – named after Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell – would lower the threshold to about five per cent of parliamentarians.
An email seen by the Sunday Herald reveals this issue will be discussed at the joint meeting on Thursday.
Murray, who increased his majority to 15,154 at the General Election, has been a prominent Corbyn sceptic and is most high-profile speaker listed. The MP quit Corbyn’s Shadow Cabinet last year and questioned his leader’s abilities.
"He's a decent human being, a lovely man who I get on incredibly well with. But he just can't lead the Labour Party and I don't think the public think he can be Prime Minister,” he said at the time.
Former Labour MP Sheila Gilmore, who put her name to an open letter last year calling on Corbyn to go, is also listed as a speaker.
Richard Angell, the director of Progress, said: "Attempts by the party's new establishment to make a factional power grab at conference, end Labour's focus on parliamentary socialism and potentially swamp a future leadership race with up to 19 candidates will get debated in Edinburgh this week."
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