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| Labour MPs 'abuse list' prompts row | Labour MPs 'abuse list' prompts row |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| A new row has broken out in Labour over a list of MPs accused of "abuse" towards Jeremy Corbyn and his allies. | |
| Two MPs have made formal complaints after they were named on the list, which was compiled by Mr Corbyn's team and sent to the Press Association. | Two MPs have made formal complaints after they were named on the list, which was compiled by Mr Corbyn's team and sent to the Press Association. |
| One of the MPs to complain said this amounted to "harassment and bullying". | One of the MPs to complain said this amounted to "harassment and bullying". |
| Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said he had been "furious" about the release because it was a briefing note and was not intended to attack anyone. | |
| Deputy leader Tom Watson, who also featured on the list, said he had received an apology. | Deputy leader Tom Watson, who also featured on the list, said he had received an apology. |
| The latest clash comes just over a week before Labour announces its new leader, with Owen Smith challenging Mr Corbyn. | |
| Relations between the two campaigns have soured, with both sides accused of abusive language towards the other. | Relations between the two campaigns have soured, with both sides accused of abusive language towards the other. |
| The briefing from Mr Corbyn's team accused Mr Smith of being the "real disunity candidate", citing comments by Smith-supporting MPs Jess Phillips, Tristram Hunt and John Woodcock, as well as by Mr Watson. | The briefing from Mr Corbyn's team accused Mr Smith of being the "real disunity candidate", citing comments by Smith-supporting MPs Jess Phillips, Tristram Hunt and John Woodcock, as well as by Mr Watson. |
| It urged Mr Smith to "explicitly condemn those who have threatened to split the party and tear it apart, as well as condemn the abuse instigated by his high-profile supporters". | It urged Mr Smith to "explicitly condemn those who have threatened to split the party and tear it apart, as well as condemn the abuse instigated by his high-profile supporters". |
| Mr Watson said he had been told the list had been released by mistake by a junior press officer in Mr Corbyn's campaign team. | Mr Watson said he had been told the list had been released by mistake by a junior press officer in Mr Corbyn's campaign team. |
| 'Trial by troll' | 'Trial by troll' |
| The BBC understands Mr Woodcock is one of the MPs to make a formal complaint to the party's chief whip and its general secretary. | The BBC understands Mr Woodcock is one of the MPs to make a formal complaint to the party's chief whip and its general secretary. |
| "It is my clear view that targeting individuals like this amounts to harassment and bullying by the leader of the parliamentary party who is supposed to have a duty of care towards his fellow Labour MPs," Mr Woodcock's letter says. | "It is my clear view that targeting individuals like this amounts to harassment and bullying by the leader of the parliamentary party who is supposed to have a duty of care towards his fellow Labour MPs," Mr Woodcock's letter says. |
| Another of the MPs named, Neil Coyle, tweeted: "Desperate, trial by troll, victim-culture claims from an anonymous source backing Corbyn this eve. Fuming." | Another of the MPs named, Neil Coyle, tweeted: "Desperate, trial by troll, victim-culture claims from an anonymous source backing Corbyn this eve. Fuming." |
| But asked about it at Bloomberg HQ in London, following a speech by Mr Corbyn, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said: "That release came from the campaign, it didn't come from Jeremy. We have apologised, it was just inappropriate. | |
| "One of our researchers saw a bit of incoming flak and then did a list of all the statements that have been made by other MPs, some of which were not particularly kind... it was a briefing note, it shouldn't have gone out and we apologised for that. | |
| "It certainly wasn't a list in any way to attack anyone, it was just a factual report." | |
| 'Set us back' | |
| He said he felt progress had been made over the summer to improve unity in the party - as evidenced by support for Mr Corbyn at this week's Prime Minister's Questions - and there was "no dispute at all" over its economic policy, so he felt the release of the list had "set us back and I was furious about it, to be frank". | |
| "Just at a time when we were, I think, really rebuilding relationships very very well throughout the summer - I hope it hasn't set us back and we will certainly have a conversation with all those involved." | |
| Mr Corbyn was asked about the row during a leaders' debate on Sky News. | Mr Corbyn was asked about the row during a leaders' debate on Sky News. |
| He said: "There was information put out there which is statements that colleagues made on the record and it's all stuff that is out there on the public record." | He said: "There was information put out there which is statements that colleagues made on the record and it's all stuff that is out there on the public record." |
| Mr Smith said the list was "deeply divisive". | Mr Smith said the list was "deeply divisive". |