Jeremy Corbyn is facing calls to consider winding up Momentum, the grassroots group of his supporters, amid fears among Labour MPs that it could be used as a vehicle to plot against those who voted for airstrikes in Syria.
MPs raised fresh questions about the intent of the organisation, which is separate from Labour, after it joined Stop the War in urging people to lobby their representatives against voting for airstrikes in Syria.
Some of those 66 Labour MPs who voted in favour of bombing Islamic State targets have reported bullying and abuse online, with Neil Coyle, the MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, reporting one threatening tweet to the police on Thursday.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed it was assessing a number of online threats relating to MPs. A spokesman said: “Police are aware of a number of threats made on social media relating to MPs. The assessment of these threats is ongoing.”
Deselection of MPs was openly being brought up by visitors to the Facebook pages of grassroots Momentum groups – including for areas that cover pro-airstrike MPs Harriet Harman and Coyle in Southwark, Chuka Umunna in Lambeth, and Heidi Alexander and Jim Dowd in Lewisham – although the national leadership of the group is opposed to this.
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