LABOUR members have had their rights reduced, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) warned today, after the party conference narrowly endorsed plans to give MPs more power in leadership elections.

Fifty-four per cent of delegates backed proposals on Sunday evening to raise the threshold of support that candidates require to get on the ballot from 10 to 20 per cent of the parliamentary party.

A simple majority of both constituency party members and affiliated groups will also now be required to deselect sitting MPs, up from a third of either previously.

About 56 per cent of delegates backed slashing the number of motions debated at conference from 20 to 12.

Other changes included handing the party bureacracy more power to suspend members and the creation of independent boards to deal with complaints over protected characteristics.

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack told the Morning Star: “Instead of focusing on making the party he leads less democratic, Keir Starmer should focus on things that will make a positive difference to people’s lives. 

“We want Labour to focus on vital issues like investment in public services, building safety and a socialist green new deal.”