Jeremy Corbyn’s scathing attack on Keir Starmer over bid to change Labour rules

Mr Corbyn warned Sir Keir of a grassroots rebellion by Labour members which could see him ousted

Jeremy Corbyn last night launched a scathing attack on Keir Starmer for trying to change Labour ’s leadership election rules.

Speaking at Young Labour’s rally at the Brighton party conference the former leader told the present one: “The Tories have been given a free pass time and again.

“And our party’s leadership seems to be turning its back on a hope for a more equal, democratic and sustainable future.”

Mr Corbyn warned Sir Keir of a grassroots rebellion by Labour members which could see him ousted.

The former leader added: “If our leadership won’t champion that path, our movement must and will.”

Sir Keir had hoped to change the rules by scrapping one-member-one-vote for electing leaders by giving MPs more of a say in the process.

That would have given MPs a third of votes cast, another third for the unions and the rest to members.

But he had to drop the plan after furious opposition from left-leaning unions.

Sir Keir now hopes for a compromise solution to require a quarter of Labour MPs to back a candidate before a leadership challenge can be mounted.

But Mr Corbyn said: “Empowerment was promised to our movement, not stitching up the rules for future leadership elections.

“The electoral college plan may have been defeated for now. But we have seen the leadership’s true colours.”