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Labour in civil war as Emily Thornberry vows to sue ex-MP Caroline Flint for ‘making up s**t’
LABOUR’S civil war may end up in court after frontbencher Emily Thornberry yesterday vowed to sue an ousted colleague for claiming she called Leave voters “stupid”.
She said the accusation made by Caroline Flint, who lost her Labour seat, was a “complete lie”.
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Ms Flint publicly claimed Ms Thornberry had told another MP in a Leave-voting seat: “I’m glad my constituents aren’t as stupid as yours.”
Angry Ms Thornberry, expected to challenge for the Labour leadership when Jeremy Corbyn steps down, said: “One of my former colleagues came out and said the most extraordinary lies about me.
“I contacted her and said ‘Please withdraw. I will give you until the end of the day.’ And she hasn’t. So I’ve had to go to solicitors.
“People can slag me off. As long as it’s true I will take it on the chin.
“But you can’t make up sh*t about me. And if they do, I have to take it to the courts.
“I would never even think that, let alone say it. It’s a complete lie.”
WORST ELECTION RESULT
The row came as it was revealed:
- Friends Rebecca Long-Bailey and Angela Rayner may team up on a Left-wing ticket to challenge for Labour’s leader and deputy jobs.
- Labour insiders warned party bosses would try to rush through a leadership race to make sure a Corbynista gets the top position.
- Jeremy Corbyn will tonight face his MPs’ fury at a parliamentary meeting.
Labour’s civil war kicked off on election night as it became clear Mr Corbyn was leading the party to its worst election result since 1935 — winning just 203 seats.
Ms Flint made her remark about Ms Thornberry as she tore into Remainer Labour MPs who alienated Leave voters in the party’s traditional heartlands. She stands by her claim.
Ms Thornberry was Mr Corbyn’s shadow Foreign Secretary and held on to her seat in London’s Islington South.
'ARMY OF ACOLYTES'
She was booted out of Ed Miliband’s frontbench team five years ago for mocking a voter who had England flags draped on his home.
Labour MPs will use tonight’s meeting to demand the sacking of Mr Corbyn aides Karie Murphy and Seumas Milne, blamed by many for the election debacle.
One said: “They are culpable and they need to go, along with their army of acolytes.” The pair, who both earn around £100,000 a year, are in line for hefty pay-offs if they refuse to resign.
Moderate Labour MPs yesterday continued their attacks on Mr Corbyn.
Stephen Kinnock, son of ex-Labour leader Neil, said: “We have seen that Corbyn is finished and Corbynism must too be finished — it is an utter disaster.
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“We need a Labour leader who knows who our country’s allies are in the world and doesn’t side with the Russian propaganda machine when there is a chemical weapons attack in our country.
“We need a Labour leader who understands the bizarre conspiracy theories from the hard left about the role Jewish people play in global capitalism are utterly despicable.”
Helen Goodman, who lost her Bishop Auckland seat to the Tories, said: “The unpopularity of Jeremy Corbyn as leader — I got that over and over again on the doorstep.”
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Caroline Flint doubles down on claim Emily Thornberry called northern voters stupid - but she says it's ''utter lies'
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