Len McCluskey accuses 'Corbyn-hater' Labour MPs of working in cahoots with Tory newspapers to undermine leader

Five MPs attacked for portraying party as 'morass of misogyny, antisemitism and bullying'

Len McCluskey: 'A sustained smearing by MPs of their own leader and their own party' (PA)

Len McCluskey has accused “Corbyn-hater” Labour MPs of working in cahoots with Tory newspapers to undermine their leader, fuelling the party’s internal wars.

In a blistering attack, the boss of the powerful Unite union said the rebel MPs were “working overtime trying to present the Labour party as a morass of misogyny, antisemitism and bullying”.

He named Chris Leslie, Neil Coyle, John Woodcock, Wes Streeting and Ian Austin as being among "a dismal chorus whose every dirge makes winning a Labour government more difficult".

They were “smearing” a “decent and honourable man who has fought racism and antisemitism all his life”, Mr McCluskey claimed, adding: “To see Tory MPs cheer and applaud them was shameful”

The Unite general secretary said their actions made him “understand” the pressure from some on the left of the Labour party to make it easier to sack MPs.

“I look with disgust at the behaviour of the Corbyn-hater MPs who join forces with the most reactionary elements of the media establishment and I understand why there is a growing demand for mandatory reselection,” he said.

The comments come after a succession of Labour MPs used a high-profile Commons debate on antisemitism to urge Mr Corbyn to act against offenders within the party.

Two – Luciana Berger and Ruth Smeeth – were given standing ovations after speaking passionately about their own experience of antisemitic threats. They were later praised by Theresa May.

Ms Smeeth dismissed claims that accusations of antisemitism were political smears, telling MPs: “We know what antisemitism is, we know where it leads, how dare these people suggest that.”

This week, Jewish leaders who met Mr Corbyn to discuss antisemitism in the Labour Party, accused him of spurning concrete actions, describing the talks as a “disappointing, missed opportunity”.

But, speaking to The New Statesman, Mr McCluskey said: “You would have to go back a long way to find such a sustained smearing by MPs of their own leader and their own party as we are seeing now.

“Their determination to divide the party into pro- and anti-Corbyn factions, despite the huge increase in Labour’s vote secured last year ultimately pollutes everything it touches. That includes the work against antisemitism.

“To watch as these so-called social democrats tried to demean and attack, in front of our enemy, a decent and honourable man who has fought racism and antisemitism all his life and who has breathed life and hope back into the hearts of millions, especially the young, made my stomach churn.”

Mr Woodcock hit back, saying: “Len McCluskey should focus on jobs for Unite members while he remains in post.

“I'm very happy to compare our records standing up for the programmes that support Unite members' jobs in Barrow shipyard, Samlesbury and Warton.”