Socialist Workers Party activists are planning to back Sadiq Khan for London Mayor because they believe the election is a “referendum on Jeremy Corbyn”.
A secret recording of a Momentum meeting in Haringey revealed that many of the far-Left party’s members are weighing in behind Labour’s mayoral candidate.
One activist, Simon Hester, told the meeting: “We will be backing Sadiq Khan in the election because of Jeremy and because of the difference he’s made, and because we don’t want to be seen to be undermining what will be seen as a referendum on Jeremy’s leadership.”
His remarks were welcomed by Andrew Fisher, Mr Corbyn’s policy chief — who was suspended and then readmitted to the party after urging Labour voters to back the anarchist Class War party — who said he agreed with the analysis.
Figures in the Labour leadership believe that a victory in London by Mr Khan, even though he is on the soft-Left of the party, will bolster Mr Corbyn’s position at a time when he is under threat from a growing anti-Semitism crisis in his party ranks and also faces losses in elections elsewhere in the country.
Mr Hester praised the Labour leader for “making a huge difference” and putting the Tories “on the back foot” over issues such as academies and junior doctors.
He said the wider Left should unite “with Jeremy taking the front” and “building the battle” against the Government: “All these things are going to be the things that really start to undermine the Tories and maybe even bring down dodgy Dave way before 2020.”
In recent days the Tories have concentrated their attacks on Mr Khan by linking him with his party leader, who they view as a liability, in Londoner’s minds.
The Prime Minister warned earlier this week that a Labour victory at City Hall would put Mr Corbyn’s hands “on the levers of power” for the first time.
Business Secretary Sajid Javid also said Mr Khan’s nomination of Mr Corbyn for leader — although he did not actually vote for him — showed “he still can’t be trusted” by “sensible, aspirational” Londoners.
Mr Khan has always maintained he would put Londoners before his party and has distanced himself from Mr Corbyn during the campaign.
