Momentum’s purge of moderate Labour MPs has begun in earnest with two losing Momentum-backed votes of no confidence last night. Luton South MP Gavin Shuker suffered defeat two days after criticising Corbyn over the party’s anti-Semitism crisis on BBC Newsnight, while Labour Friends of Israel Chair Joan Ryan was narrowly defeated in Enfield North amid a flurry of Twitter abuse. Gloating Corbynistas piled in on the #WeAreEnfieldNorth hashtag, with one accusing her of “using her Jewishness as privilege”:

Incredibly, Corbyn’s old friends at Press TV, the Iranian state broadcaster banned by Ofcom, were invited in to film the CLP meeting, jubilantly tweeting out news of Ryan’s defeat and joining in on the #WeAreEnfieldNorth hashtag:

#Enfield North Labour members cheer and celebrate the news of the successful no confidence vote in rebel MP #JoanRyan.#WeAreEnfieldNorth #Labour pic.twitter.com/V5HOZbPLRd

— Press TV UK (@Presstvuk) September 6, 2018

Joan Ryan hit back against “Trots Stalinists Communists and assorted hard left” and insisted that she would not be resigning. Tony Blair told the BBC this morning that it may never be possible for moderates to take back control of the Labour Party from Corbyn’s supporters. This is a watershed moment. Moderate Labour MPs cannot turn a blind eye to what is going on in their party any longer…