Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell accused Labour leader Keir Starmer of a 'grubby stitch-up' today as his plan to reform the way the party leader is chosen boiled over into factional infighting.
Mr McDonnell, a hardliner close to former leader Jeremy Corbyn, said his successor was leaving himself open to accusations of 'dishonesty' over changes that have provoked left-wing fury.
Sir Keir wants to scrap the current 'one member, one vote' system and replace it with a version of the electoral college system which was previously used by the party.
The proposals would see a return to trade unions, MPs and party members being split into respective categories, with each being responsible for one third of the result.
But speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programe today, Mr McDonnell said the changes were a 'huge mistake'.
'Keir was only elected 18 months ago and he was elected by those people and he never mentioned any of these reforms in that election itself and I think he is opening himself up to charges of dishonesty,' he said.
'What he should be doing is have a proper consultation – he can't just bounce this through.
'Look at the contrast in the media. You have Boris Johnson strutting the world stage, doing deals with (Joe) Biden and other world leaders, what do we have the Labour leader in grubby stitch up deals…it's unacceptable.'
The row has blown up just days ahead of the party's annual conference in Brighton, with Sir Keir also handed another blow today when new Unite union boss said she would not be attending.
Sharon Graham, recently elected general secretary of the hard left-leaning union, said current industrial disputes will have to take priority.
Sir Keir wants to scrap the current 'one member, one vote' system and replace it with a version of the electoral college system which was previously used by the party.
