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Labour left activists plan autumn uprising against leadership

Defend the Left campaign promises 'storm of protest' against purges of socialist members

LABOUR’S leadership faces an autumn uprising against its “McCarthyite” persecution of socialists in the party.

Left-wing members campaigning as Defend the Left will take the battle for internal party democracy to the leadership with protests at Labour offices nationwide, culminating in a mass demonstration at the annual party conference at the end of September.

The campaigners have promised a “storm of protest” against purges which have included the expulsion of veteran socialist film-maker Ken Loach.

The purges, orchestrated by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and general secretary David Evans, have been compared with the 1950s wave of persecution of socialists and others in the United States led by Senator Joe McCarthy.

The protests will add to the leadership’s woes after staff voted overwhelmingly for strike action against compulsory redundancies.

A Defend the Left spokesperson said: “What we are seeing in the Labour Party is nothing less than a McCarthy-style purge without regard to democracy or justice. 

“This September, we are going to call a halt. We will create a storm of opposition.

“Since Keir Starmer became leader, we have seen a dramatic intensification of attempts by a right-wing faction to hijack the party and drive out the left. 

“But we’re not going to let them succeed. We, the grassroots members, are going to stop them.

“This is not simply an internal Labour Party struggle, this is a battle for democracy.

“Labour is the biggest political party in western Europe. We cannot allow it to be stolen from its members by dirty tricks and ruthless chicanery.”

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