Ian Lavery has become the first disgruntled hard-left MP to openly float the threat of a leadership challenge to Keir Starmer after his decision to refuse the return of the Labour whip to Corbyn. Speaking to the Huffington Post’s Commons People podcasts, the MP described Sir Keir’s recent leadership style as:

“Not being melodramatic but that’s a bit like a tin-pot dictatorship to me.”

He then went on to point out “there’s always the opportunity for a leadership challenge and the rules allow that to happen. It just depends on how Keir’s leadership develops; I’ve got to say I’m very disappointed in it at this moment in time… he’s caused absolute mayhem in the party.”

The overt threat comes as it emerges Starmer’s decision to withhold the whip from his predecessor is for a renewable period of just three months, with LabourList sources claiming chief whip Nick Brown has informed Corbyn of the time period, and that as there’s not a hard deadline he could actually have the whip restored even sooner. Despite this, Corbyn’s legal team are still expected to mount a challenge over his suspension…