The pogroms start, and the labour party makes itself even more unelectable.
John McDonnell won't intervene if Hilary Benn faces deselection fight
Shadow chancellor says Labour leadership ‘won’t interfere in local democracy’ if Benn faces deselection battle in Leeds Central
Rajeev Syal
Sunday 20 November 2016 15.09 GMT
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.
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.
“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.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/nov/20/john-mcdonnell-hilary-benn-deselection-leeds-central-labour-party