Labour’s leadership struggles are reaching a fever pitch ahead of this weekend’s leadership election result – and have forced the party to shell out for a new wave of internal enforcers.
Party HQ has been left poring over the massive influx of new members trying to form a vanguard around Jeremy Corbyn.
Many are feared to be closet Militants, communists, anti-Semites and terror sympathisers – leading to a massive – and expensive – push to purge distasteful members.
Indeed the list of questionable members is so long that the party has been forced to advertise for two “Compliance Officers” charged with investigating party members – and determining whether to give them the boot.
The party is offering a pretty healthy salary of £34,000, plus a £1,000 “allowance”, making for a £35,000 pay packet overall.
Their work so far has led to some questionable decisions – including allegedly kicking out a woman for liking the Foo Fighters, and banning a Team GB Paralympian for retweeting Green Party leader Caroline Lucas two years ago.
Candidates require legal experience, “knowledge of socialist societies” (code for the entryist SWP?) and being prepared for a “fast-paced” job – ie a deluge of potential offenders.
High-profile victims of the compliance team include alleged anti-Semites Naz Shah MP and Ken Livingstone, as well as a slew of lower-level offenders – many of whom were unearthed by the press rather than Labour’s own efforts.
Even if – as looks increasingly certain – Corbyn continues his leadership the party machine could continue a proxy war against him by tossing out his supporters. Given its new, high profile, the job will be on the frontlines of the battle for the soul of the Labour party – and right in the media spotlight.
It could also be tremendous fun – few things are more musical to Heat Street‘s ears than the squeals of ousted Corbynistas.