“GHOST” local Labour parties are to be formed by suspended members of the party in a fight against their purge, it was revealed today.

Since Sir Keir Starmer became Labour leader last year, scores of party officers and hundreds of members have been suspended or expelled over motions of support for former leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Unions and members have accused party general secretary David Evans of restricting freedom of speech by suspending officers who have allowed pro-Corbyn motions to be discussed and passed at constituency Labour Party (CLP) meetings.

Suspended members across the country are now forming ghost CLPs to form a “national linked-up shadow Labour Party.” 

The plan is to resist what is considered to be a purge of the left, according to Labour In Exile Network (LIEN).

LIEN member Terry Deans said the shadow party “will be real Labour, the real grassroots party working on a truly democratic basis.”

Mr Deans, who was suspended by the party last year, said: “I believe Starmer was hoping that by suspending or expelling people he would drive many others on the left to leave the party.

“But most have decided to stay and fight — many by setting up ghost Labour parties.”

Mr Deans has been suspended because Bristol West CLP passed a motion to reinstate Mr Corbyn to the Labour Party. 

Following an investigation by Labour’s national executive committee (NEC), the Falklands war veteran was suspended for 12 months and denied the opportunity for a hearing. 

Mr Corbyn had his membership suspended in October last year for saying that the extent of anti-semitism in the party “was overstated for political reasons by our opponents.” 

His comment came in response to a report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) on the anti-semitism allegations.

He was reinstated by a panel of the NEC, but Sir Keir, ignoring a warning by the EHRC against political interference in such cases, refused to readmit his predecessor to the parliamentary party, leaving him to sit as an independent to represent Islington North.

LIEN is holding its first public “fightback” meeting at 7pm this Saturday (March 27). Register here for the meeting:   mstar.link/LIEN.