Labour’s Left puts Brown on probation under threat of a splinter

From @LabourList

A report on the BBC tonight says that Left wing Labour MPs are threatening to form a splinter group and stand under their own manifesto at the next election unless Gordon Brown adopts more acceptable policies.

John McDonnell stressed that – while he would prefer candidates to remain in the Party – he is not ruling out a group standing as “Labour Change” candidates if the PM stays on his current course.

Mr McDonnell said the Labour left had deliberately avoided recent plots to remove Mr Brown and wanted to see a change of political direction instea, including the restoration of trade union rights, more social housing, an end to public service privatisation, scrapping the Heathrow third runway, the abolition of tuition fees, electoral reform and the scrapping of Trident and ID cards.

Meanwhile, Charles Clarke told the BBC today that Gordon Brown’s continued leadersdhip will depend on his performance:

“If the poll ratings go up or we win these by-elections, I think the issue will go away and he can be confident he leads us into the next election. “If, on the other hand, he somehow doesn’t fulfil those things or electorally we do badly, then the issue will still be there.”

In other news, Hazel Blears may face a no confidence vote in her Salford constituency.