LABOUR Party chairman Ian Lavery clashed yesterday with journalist Paul Mason who called for party staffers to be sacked over the European election results.

Mr Mason accused Labour’s head of communications Seumas Milne, chief of staff Karie Murphy and Mr Lavery of creating a “fiasco” of the European Parliament elections.

Labour received 14 per cent of the vote and lost 10 MEPs.

On a Twitter thread, Mr Mason demanded their sacking, saying: “The strategy was wrong, the execution was wrong, the comms were wrong.

“If we want to win, they should be replaced by politicians and professional strategists.”

In response, Wansbeck MP Mr Lavery told Mr Mason: “I had a lot of respect for you, but calling for the sacking of hard working, committed Labour staff is a shocking response from a so-called JC supporting socialist.

“Whatever happened to ‘workers of the world, unite’?”

Mr Mason responded: “I’m calling for your resignation as well.”

Employees of the Labour Party have no right to reply to accusations levelled against them.

Mr Lavery fired back with: “A response I shouldn’t be surprised at. But picking on staff who cannot reply is the lowest of the low, I’m afraid. You should be totally ashamed of yourself.”

Mr Mason is a former Newsnight business editor and twinkle-toed dancer to the intoxicating rhythms of northern soul. His remarks have been widely condemned, with one Labour source describing a subsequent Guardian article of Mr Mason’s as being a “manifesto for an anti-Corbyn coup.”

Prominent left-wing economist and Corbyn supporter Peter Gowan accused him of staging a “palace coup” that would “keep Corbyn on as a ceremonial leader” while “replacing his allies and advisers with ‘strategists’ and liberal technocrats who would reshape his agenda, using Corbyn as a puppet.”

“It must be resisted,” he added.