Exc: Allies of Jeremy Corbyn have drawn up ‘emergency leadership plans’ which sources in Labour claim are motivated by fears that Mr Corbyn could face a temp suspension over undeclared visits overseas. This story in 2 parts. Thread to follow telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/…
Firstly, insiders in Labour have told myself and @CamillaTominey that the thinking behind a new clause due to go to the NEC tomorrow - which would strip Tom Watson of powers as a ‘caretaker’ leader - is that JC cd be in trouble over undeclared trips.
Tonight, after I presented Labour with a tranche of evidence, the party has acknowledged for the first time there could have been “administrative errors” which meant that Mr Corbyn did not register trips (2007-14) in the members’ register, which he potentially should have done.
Prev, said they were confident they were above the threshold. New line: “Where issues have been raised about past international trips, Jeremy’s parliamentary office will thoroughly investigate to establish if any administrative errors could have been made around declaration.”
Trips included are to Lebanon, West Bank and Tunisia on two occasions (including Corbyn’s now notorious trip to Tunis in October 2014). I asked for a run down of all costs incurred on them, and whilst these was no denial, they did not supply them either.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for standards is also believed to be investigating Corbyn after receiving formal complaints from MPs over the summer. The Telegraph has now delved into those trips and found significant new detail on who funded them.
Earlier this week, Huff Po broke v good original story about the Watson clause, but many people got carried away and thought it was a way of nobbling Watson if Corbyn stepped down and he became interim leader. Read here: huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/emergenc…
Based on what I’ve been told, and what we’ve found and presented to Labour, it seems much more plausible the clause is a contingency plan should a probe into these trips go south. His office says it’s “fanciful nonsense” and this has come about from democracy review
But when I put that to someone involved in the review, they were unaware of this clause or the feedback/recommendations which led to it. And until the other day, an NEC member wasn't aware of it either. I was told Leader's office parachuted it in. They deny that.
