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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| John McDonnell claims Corbyn supporters 'purged' | John McDonnell claims Corbyn supporters 'purged' |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Shadow chancellor John McDonnell claims there has been a "rigged purge" of supporters of Jeremy Corbyn in Labour's leadership contest. | Shadow chancellor John McDonnell claims there has been a "rigged purge" of supporters of Jeremy Corbyn in Labour's leadership contest. |
| Mr McDonnell said thousands of members were being denied a vote "without being given an explanation". | Mr McDonnell said thousands of members were being denied a vote "without being given an explanation". |
| He was reacting to the suspension from Labour of Ronnie Draper, who leads the Corbyn-supporting Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union. | He was reacting to the suspension from Labour of Ronnie Draper, who leads the Corbyn-supporting Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union. |
| Mr Draper said he was told his suspension related to social media. | Mr Draper said he was told his suspension related to social media. |
| In a statement, Mr Draper said all he had been told was that the disciplinary action was related to an "unidentified tweet" he had posted and he believed the move was arbitrary and politically motivated. | |
| The union leader said, as it stood, he was barred from voting in the leadership election or attending future meetings including next month's party conference. | |
| "I have not been given the opportunity to refute any allegations, or a date for any hearing," he said. | |
| "I believe this flies in the face of natural justice. I intend to challenge my suspension robustly and am currently taking legal advice." | |
| The BFAWU union Mr Draper leads has almost 20,000 members in the food industry. | |
| 'Robust process' | |
| Owen Smith is challenging Mr Corbyn for the Labour leadership, with the winner to be announced on 24 September. | Owen Smith is challenging Mr Corbyn for the Labour leadership, with the winner to be announced on 24 September. |
| Labour says a "robust validation process" of the almost 650,000 people eligible to vote in the contest will continue until polls close on 21 September. | Labour says a "robust validation process" of the almost 650,000 people eligible to vote in the contest will continue until polls close on 21 September. |
| This includes "verifying all voters share the aims and values of the Labour Party". | This includes "verifying all voters share the aims and values of the Labour Party". |
| The party has not commented on the suspension of Mr Draper, which Mr McDonnell said appeared to be "part of a clear pattern of double standards". | The party has not commented on the suspension of Mr Draper, which Mr McDonnell said appeared to be "part of a clear pattern of double standards". |
| He asked why action had not been taken against Labour peer Lord Sainsbury, who gave the Lib Dems more than £2m during the EU referendum campaign, or donor Michael Foster over an article referring to "Jeremy Corbyn and his Nazi storm troopers". | He asked why action had not been taken against Labour peer Lord Sainsbury, who gave the Lib Dems more than £2m during the EU referendum campaign, or donor Michael Foster over an article referring to "Jeremy Corbyn and his Nazi storm troopers". |
| "Both will, as things stand, be able to vote in this election," Mr McDonnell said. | "Both will, as things stand, be able to vote in this election," Mr McDonnell said. |
| "Meanwhile, thousands of other members and registered supporters are reported to have been denied a vote without being given an explanation or opportunity to challenge the decision or process. | "Meanwhile, thousands of other members and registered supporters are reported to have been denied a vote without being given an explanation or opportunity to challenge the decision or process. |
| "Labour party members will not accept what appears to be a rigged purge of Jeremy Corbyn supporters. The conduct of this election must be fair and even-handed." | "Labour party members will not accept what appears to be a rigged purge of Jeremy Corbyn supporters. The conduct of this election must be fair and even-handed." |
| He said he would write to Labour's general secretary Iain McNicol to demand "clear information" on why members were being suspended. | He said he would write to Labour's general secretary Iain McNicol to demand "clear information" on why members were being suspended. |
| In response, Mr McNicol tweeted that the decision to suspend Mr Draper had been taken by elected members of the party's ruling body, the NEC, rather than party officials. | |