Staff at Labour HQ expect an emboldened Jeremy Corbyn to purge key staff after he wins the leadership election. The leader’s office has long seen the party’s HQ at Victoria Street as the moderates’ main remaining foothold and a troublesome obstacle to full Corbynista control. Worth reading Stephen Bush in the Staggers – the left slate’s NEC victory this week means General Secretary Iain McNicol is under threat. A senior Labour source tells Guido:

“If this was the private sector, Iain McNicol would have been sacked a long time ago. He’s already cost the party £200,000 by bringing in an unlawful freeze date, and now he’s splashing even more money on a spurious appeal to try and save face. If he loses in court tomorrow his position as General Secretary will be untenable.”

Unite’s Jennie Formby and Momentum’s Jon Lansman have been linked with his job.

Labour HQ staff are openly discussing what to do when the cull comes. Some are considering taking the party to employment tribunals – they are referring to the £4 million pot from registered supporters as their “severance package”. Others have even discussed balloting for action. The joke among staffers is that this would leave Corbyn with a dilemma: Does he let the party’s processes grind to a halt? Or does he call in Momentum volunteers to break the strike…