JOHN McDONNELL has vowed to fight Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s bid to remove equality officer positions from local party executives.

The former shadow chancellor spoke today at a rally called by Labour Youth, Disability Labour, Labour Women Lead, Momentum and other minority supporting groups outside the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.

It was held shortly before party delegates held a crunch vote on the national executive committee (NEC)’s proposal. The announcement of the result was expected late last night or early this morning.

Mr McDonnell, patron of Disability Labour, said: “I never thought we would be in this situation ever again in the Labour Party because over decades, if not generations, what we’ve tried to do is campaign around the whole recognition of equalities.

“This is a huge retrograde step. Don’t think it’s just a constitutional issue, it’s more than that: it’s about denying the voice to those people who in the past and even now are relatively voiceless.

“I’m just asking the Labour Party leadership to think again about this. It will dispirit people, it won’t inspire them — and I actually think it will demotivate them.

“If it takes the same struggle that we had to do in the past, then I’m committed to it as well. Solidarity.”

Hilary Schan, co-chair of Momentum, said: “I spend a lot of time thinking that the Labour leadership can’t sink any lower, and yet somehow they manage it.

“What we are seeing today is a really full-throated attack on member democracy and equality rights within Labour.

“This is about silencing those voices, and that comes at a time when this desperate Tory government is ramping up attacks on anybody in a minority group.

“This is not a left versus right issue, this is about a basic principle: the very principle that this party was founded on.

“Stand up for democracy, stand up for equality, stand up for members — because, frankly, if you can’t do that for members, then why the hell are you in it?”

Susan Matthews, a delegate speaking on behalf of Unite, also condemned Sir Keir’s attempt to downgrade equality roles.

She asked: “Why is the party trying to turn back the clock on equal representation?”

Fraser McGuire, of Labour Assembly against Austerity, said the proposal was a bid to silence calls for radical policies.