THE first shots in internal Labour elections that could prove crucial to Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership were fired this week.
Nominations have opened for the six constituency party representatives on Labour’s national executive.

The left-wing Grassroots Alliance, which currently holds four of the positions, finalised its slate of candidates at a meeting on Monday.

The alliance’s list is again headed by former London mayor Ken Livingstone, who topped the poll for the third time running when the last elections to the executive were held in August 2014.

Christine Shawcroft, who was temporarily suspended from the committee last year, Ann Black and Pete Willsman are also defending their seats on the executive, while Welsh Labour Grassroots chairman Darren Williams and Islington council cabinet member Claudia Webbe are hoping to win seats for the first time.

Campaign for Labour Party Democracy spokesman Jon Lansman explained the importance of a strong performance by the left group.

He said: “There’s a fairly tight balance between left and right on the NEC at the moment, but we are in a position to win most things.

“We need to protect our position and preferably make a gain in the CLP [constituency Labour Party] section this year.
“Control of the NEC is very important to Jeremy.”

Mr Corbyn’s allies face competition from the right-wing Labour First faction, led by former executive member Luke Akehurst.

On his campaign website, Mr Akehurst states: “I will fight against hard left factionalism, whether that is opposing partisan rule changes, defending hard-working incumbent MPs and councillors from sectarian deselection bids or stopping the Momentum faction from becoming a bridgehead back into the party for the entryist far left.”

The group is supporting two sitting constituency party representatives, Ellie Reeves — sister of Labour MP Rachel Reeves — and Johanna Baxter, whose seat is vulnerable.

Bex Bailey, currently the Young Labour representative on the executive, is also being supported by Labour First, although the Star understands she sought the support of the Grassroots Alliance.

The outcome of the contest, which will be decided by a postal ballot from July, was given added importance by the “coup” against MP Steve Rotherham this week.

Mr Corbyn’s parliamentary adviser was replaced on the executive by Shabana Mahmood, who resigned from the shadow cabinet when Mr Corbyn became leader.