Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell is “moving away” from Jeremy Corbyn after recognising the current leader’s days are numbered, a senior party source has told the JC.
A rift has opened up between the pair after Mr McDonnell grew increasingly frustrated with the way the party has handled its antisemitism crisis and its approach to Brexit.
The source added that Mr McDonnell had become increasingly frustrated with the power Seumas Milne, Mr Corbyn’s closest aide, had over the current direction of the party.
Another Labour source confirmed to the JC that the shadow chancellor had “commenced manoeuvres some time ago” over finding a suitable successor to carry on “the project” after Mr Corbyn stepped down as leader.
Mr Corbyn was left furious by a report in The Times last weekend in which unnamed civil servants questioned his health and fitness to be Prime Minister.
The Labour leadership said the planned probe was inadequate, and said only an external inquiry would “restore confidence”.
The party said putting civil servants in charge of any investigation showed “every sign of the establishment closing ranks”.
But a senior party source confirmed to the JC that a “battle royale” had commenced at the top of the Labour as a result of the increasingly poor showing by the party in the recent European Union election and in a series of opinion polls. Antisemitism had, said the source, also become “the major issue that people need to take a stand around.”
Pointing to the demand that Chris Williamson should now be expelled from the party — following last week’s fiasco over the disciplinary hearing into repeated antisemitism allegations against him — the source added that this was not merely about winning a fight against an MP they described as an “a***hole”, but also a further walk down the path of challenging Mr Corbyn and “recalibrating” the Labour Party.
While Rebecca Long-Bailey has emerged as the candidate favoured to take over the leadership in the event of Mr Corbyn stepping down, there is also a growing sense of confidence amongst some on the so-called moderate wing of the party that the unresolved antisemitism and Brexit issues are becoming real and growing problems for those loyal to the current leader.
Deputy leader Tom Watson, shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer, and outspoken female MP Jess Phillips have all been spoken of as potential challengers to the Corbyn regime in the months ahead.
But speculation that Mr Corbyn could stand down as party leader as soon as this summer has been dismissed as wishful thinking.
The JC has also learned of discussions taking place within the PLP about how to solidify a 200,000-strong “moderate membership base” to mount an effective challenge to the pro-Corbyn Momentum organisation at grassroots level.
Many Labour MPs are also said to favour Ms Phillips, the Birmingham Yardley MP who has been outspoken in her criticism of Mr Corbyn’s handling of the antisemitism crisis, putting herself forward as a new female leader of a party that has always been led by males.
Mr McDonnell has denied claims of a rift with Mr Corbyn.
