Labour deputy Tom Watson and Peter Mandelson host barbecue for moderate MPs to ‘plot how to oust Jeremy Corbyn’
Key ally of Tony Blair held the event at his London home last month after burying the hatchet with Mr Watson, one of Gordon Brown’s henchmen, to join forces
LABOUR’S deputy leader Tom Watson and Peter Mandelson hosted a barbecue for moderate MPs where ousting Jeremy Corbyn was on the menu.
The key ally of Tony Blair held the event at his London home last month after burying the hatchet with Mr Watson, one of Gordon Brown’s henchmen.
They joined forces to discuss taking back control of the party and the prospects of starting a new one, revealed today.
Mr Watson had been instrumental in the so-called "curry house plot", hatched at an Indian restaurant in Wolverhampton, which helped force Mr Blair from Downing Street back in 2006.
This event last month has been dubbed the "barbecue boys" by one insider, and comes amid splits in Labour on Brexit and a spiralling anti-Semtism crisis.
One source told the newspaper: "Peter Mandelson and Tom Watson teamed up and buried the hatchet to host a meal for very select Labour moderates.
“The purpose of the barbecue was to plot the post-Corbyn succession and discuss the prospect of a new party, how to ramp up pressure on Corbyn over the summer and the issue of anti-Semitism.
"It was made clear that the meeting, invitees and conversation was not to leak. It was kept very secret even from other moderate colleagues.”
One of the MPs present did not deny there were political discussions while another added: "It was more about saving Labour than setting up a new party."
But Mr Watson denied he was involved in any plotting, and said: "My kids and I spent much of the occasion playing with Peter's two wonderful dogs, Jock and Poppy, which would have been far more interesting than idle gossip from the other attendees."
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It comes as moderate MP Chuka Umunna labelled rumours of a plan to create a new party for those unhappy with Mr Corbyn as “false news”.
The leading Remainer , who is campaigning for a second EU referendum, said: “The idea that the People’s Vote campaign is a precursor to a new party is complete and utter b****cks.”
Rumours that centrists in Labour were getting ready to breakaway have ramped up in recent weeks, with John McDonnell accusing them of using the party’s anti-Semitism row as “cover” to create a rival organisation.