Keir Starmer to ‘purge far-left groups and 1,000 members from Labour Party’

Keir Starmer’s internal push to reshape the party looks set to take a major step forward this week (Picture: Getty)

Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly set to purge Labour of far left factions in a move that will outrage some in his own party.

It’s been 15 months since Sir Keir inherited the leadership from Jeremy Corbyn, promising to stamp out anti-Semitism and reform the party after a crushing general election defeat.

Now an internal push to reshape Labour is under way and it could set up a showdown with some left-wing MPs and members.

The National Executive Committee, the body which governs the party, will be asked to proscribe four groups at a crucial meeting on Tuesday.

The move will see around 1,000 Labour members ‘auto-excluded’ from the party.

Resist and Labour Against the Witchhunt, which have reportedly argued claims of anti-Semitism within the party are politically motivated, will be banned, according to the Daily Mirror.

Labour in Exile, a group which ‘aims to unite socialists unfairly suspended, expelled, or [who] resigned in dismay’ will also be proscribed.

Keir Starmer pledged to deal with anti-Semitism once and for all when he was elected (Picture: Getty)

Membership of the Socialist Appeal, which describes itself as ‘Marxist’ and calls for a far-left policy programme, will be outlawed for Labour Party members.

One Labour insider told the Daily Mirror: ‘Under Corbyn those from the far left fringes with poisonous beliefs and warped world-views were welcomed into the party. 

‘Keir is right to stamp out anti-Semitism and toxic extremism and get the party back into the decent mainstream of Labour values.

‘We need to be fighting to form the next government and that means cleaning out the stable.’

Jeremy Corbyn remains suspended from the Labour Party despite legal challenges (Picture: Getty)

An official Labour party spokesperson did not deny the move when asked by the paper.

They said: ‘From time to time, there are groups the NEC will proscribe. The NEC will be asked on Tuesday to consider whether these four organisations are compatible with Labour’s rules or our aims and values.’

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell has already slammed the move, calling it ‘standard Blairite fare’, ‘bizarre’ and ‘desperate’.

Mr Corbyn remains suspended from the party for breaking its own rules on anti-Semitism by claiming allegations of racism were ‘dramatically overstated’ by his opponents.

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