Despite Labour’s NEC away day happening digitally via Zoom, 13 hard-left members performed a virtual “walk-out” of their first meeting this morning in protest, resulting in Margaret Beckett being elected unopposed as the new chair of the committee.

Laura Pidcock claims

“The left grouping were just forced to walk out of NEC meeting. The disrespect for the left is something we will not put up with. The leadership undermine governance of the NEC, censor debate & ignore our processes by doubling down on the removal of the whip from Jeremy Corbyn”

The walk-out was over an internal row between Starmer and the left of the NEC as they were told the Corbynite loyalist candidate Ian Murray of the Fire Brigades’ Union would be blocked from becoming chair. Only slightly more farcical scenes than last year’s “away day”, which took place a whole three miles away from Islington in South London…

*Image an artist’s impression.