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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/nov/20/john-mcdonnell-hilary-benn-deselection-leeds-central-labour-party
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| John McDonnell won't intervene if Hilary Benn faces deselection fight | John McDonnell won't intervene if Hilary Benn faces deselection fight |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, has refused to intervene to ensure Hilary Benn remains a Labour MP amid reports that he is facing a possible deselection battle with activists in his local party. | John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, has refused to intervene to ensure Hilary Benn remains a Labour MP amid reports that he is facing a possible deselection battle with activists in his local party. |
| Some of Jeremy Corbyn’s close allies remain angry with the former shadow foreign secretary since he argued against the Labour leader and in favour of airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria from the opposition frontbench. | Some of Jeremy Corbyn’s close allies remain angry with the former shadow foreign secretary since he argued against the Labour leader and in favour of airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria from the opposition frontbench. |
| Benn was then sacked from his role as shadow foreign secretary amid claims that he was encouraging colleagues to resign as part of an attempt to replace Corbyn as leader. | |
| The Sunday Times claims that Corbyn supporters have taken over positions in Benn’s Leeds Central constituency party and he is facing the threat of deselection in the seat. | |
| Asked whether he would discourage a challenge against Benn, McDonnell said the leadership would not interfere in local party affairs. | Asked whether he would discourage a challenge against Benn, McDonnell said the leadership would not interfere in local party affairs. |
| “Labour leadership doesn’t involve itself in local selections to the local party. That’s democracy,” the shadow chancellor told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Pienaar’s Politics. | “Labour leadership doesn’t involve itself in local selections to the local party. That’s democracy,” the shadow chancellor told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Pienaar’s Politics. |
| Patrick Hall, a vice-chair of the consituency party in Leeds Central who has voiced his opposition to Benn, is a national executive member of the Labour Representation Committee – a radical grouping chaired by McDonnell. | Patrick Hall, a vice-chair of the consituency party in Leeds Central who has voiced his opposition to Benn, is a national executive member of the Labour Representation Committee – a radical grouping chaired by McDonnell. |
| In the interview, McDonnell pointedly said he hoped Benn would continue to to play a role in the party “at whatever level”. | In the interview, McDonnell pointedly said he hoped Benn would continue to to play a role in the party “at whatever level”. |
| “I think Hilary Benn’s got a fantastic role to play. He’s a friend of mine and I hope he continues to play a role in our party at whatever level. But we can’t interfere in local democracy in our party. We’re a democratic party,” he said. | “I think Hilary Benn’s got a fantastic role to play. He’s a friend of mine and I hope he continues to play a role in our party at whatever level. But we can’t interfere in local democracy in our party. We’re a democratic party,” he said. |
| Benn is now the chair of the new Brexit select committee in parliament, a high-profile role as Britain moves towards leaving the EU. | Benn is now the chair of the new Brexit select committee in parliament, a high-profile role as Britain moves towards leaving the EU. |
| A source close to Benn said: “Hillary is incredibly polite and a positive person and has welcomed the new [Leeds Central] officers. | A source close to Benn said: “Hillary is incredibly polite and a positive person and has welcomed the new [Leeds Central] officers. |
| “The excitement in the media [over deselection] has been slightly distracting, but he is clear his number one job is to hold the government to account on Brexit. For many who want a good relationship with our Europe partners in the future, he is our last hope.” | “The excitement in the media [over deselection] has been slightly distracting, but he is clear his number one job is to hold the government to account on Brexit. For many who want a good relationship with our Europe partners in the future, he is our last hope.” |