Labour Supporters Warned Over Abuse

Labour's top official is attempting to stamp out abuse by activists by threatening to bar anyone found guilty from voting in the party's leadership election.

Iain McNicol, general secretary of the party, has also set up a hotline for allegations of abuse and is promising to investigate them and suspend people complained about.

He says there is too much of party members being "shouted down, intimidated of abused", either in meetings or online, and it needs to stop.

The decision by Mr McNicol to act suggests he and his officials at party headquarters are concerned that leader Jeremy Corbyn and his inner circle are not doing enough to prevent abuse.

:: End Labour Civil War, Says McDonnell

In what will be seen as a rebuff to Mr Corbyn, who says he condemns abuse, Mr McNicol said words of condemnation were meaningless unless they were backed up by action.

The general secretary's action follows an escalation of allegations of abuse in recent days, including:

:: Angela Eagle accused Mr Corbyn of "stirring" abuse after police advised her to suspend constituency surgeries without appointments.

:: Labour whip Conor McGinn claimed after he criticised Mr Corbyn the leader's political secretary Katy Clark threatened to phone his Sinn Fein-supporting father.

:: More than 40 women Labour MPs wrote to Mr Corbyn calling him to do more to tackle abuse and said it was "being done in your name".

:: An alleged Watergate-style break-in by a Corbyn aide at the House of Commons office of former Shadow Treasury Chief Secretary Seema Malhotra.

:: On Sunday shadow chancellor John McDonnell issued a "stop this now" plea to end the Labour civil war.

Launching his attempt to curb the abuse, Mr McNicol said: "Over the summer the party will embark on a big debate about our future. Labour members and supporters will choose our candidate for next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

"The Labour Party should be the home of lively debate, of new ideas and of campaigns to change society.

"However, for a fair debate to take place, people must be able to air their views in an atmosphere of respect. They shouldn't be shouted down, they shouldn't be intimidated and they shouldn't be abused, either in meetings or online.

"Put plainly, there is simply too much of it taking place and it needs to stop."

Mr McNicol added: "The two candidates Jeremy Corbyn and Owen Smith, our Deputy Leader Tom Watson and our NEC have been very clear - there is no place for abuse of any kind in the party.

"However words of condemnation are meaningless unless they are backed up by action."

Addressing party members directly, he said: "I want to be clear, if you are a member and you engage in abusive behaviour towards other members it will be investigated and you could be suspended while that investigation is carried out.

"If you are a registered supporter or affiliated supporter and you engage in abusive behaviour you will not get a vote in this leadership election."

Details of any abusive behaviour can be reported by emailing validation@labour.org.uk.