Inside the crisis at the heart of the Labour Party

Ashley Cowburn analyses the key players in the party’s deputy leadership rift

Corbyn at his party’s conference in Brighton on Saturday (EPA)

On the eve of Labour’s annual conference, the party descended into bitter infighting as a move was made by influential figures to abolish the post of deputy leader.

The motion – proposed by the party’s governing body on Friday evening – called for the position, held by Tom Watson, to be scrapped. It failed to get the two-thirds vote required to pass, but was due to be discussed further in Brighton.

Corbyn, however, was forced to intervene the following morning after a row exploded in the Labour Party over the motion, which drew a furious reaction from MPs and grandees. Instead, the Labour leader put forward a compromise motion, promising to “review” the post of deputy leader – essentially kicking the issue into the long grass.