Jeremy Corbyn reports one of his own MPs for harassment after his leadership is questioned
Neil Coyle asked why MPs had not been given a Brexit briefing and why the party was being embarrassed for slow responses to the media
JEREMY Corbyn has reported an MP for harassment who questioned Labour’s woeful media performance.
The Labour leader’s office reported Neil Coyle to the party’s Chief Whip for disciplinary action after he sent Mr Corbyn a formal email questioning his leadership.
Mr Coyle asked why MPs had not been given a Brexit briefing last month and why the party was being embarrassed publicly for providing slow responses on issues to the media.
The Bermondsey and Southwark MP now faces potential disciplinary action from party bosses – including the ultimate sanction of losing the party whip.
A leaked email trail shows Mr Coyle’s correspondence being described as “vicious” and an “unjustified attack” on Mr Corbyn’s office by his office manager Karie Murphy.
Ms Murphy wrote that if Mr Coyle had concerns about “standards or service” he should speak to his “line manager” before saying she had reported him to the party’s General Secretary Iain McNicol and Chief Whip Nick Brown.
Ms Murphy is a close pal of Unite boss Red Len McCluskey who is battling to hold on to his position as the union’s General Secretary.
When approached, Mr Coyle told The Sun he was simply “doing his job”.
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He said: “By asking questions about the performance of the party I am simply doing my job.
“I represent my members and constituents in all of my correspondence and by challenging the party’s performance I am carrying out my job.”
He added: “Instead of answering my questions, they are engaging in petty and vindictive infighting.”
A spokeswoman for Jeremy Corbyn said: “We would not comment on the business of the Chief Whip”.
It came as Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott declared Labour could fall below 10 per cent in the polls if Jeremy Corbyn was forced out.
Despite Labour currently hitting record lows in the polls, Ms Abbott claimed the bulk of the party’s support was down to his popularity.