July 10, 2016 12:00pm by David Farrar

Eagle challenges Corbyn

The Guardian reports:

Labour has been plunged into its “greatest crisis for generations” as a leadership bid was launched against Jeremy Corbyn and its biggest union donor waged war on the party’s deputy leader.

In an extraordinary day of bloodletting, Angela Eagle, who recently resigned as shadow business secretary, announced her bid to topple Corbyn, accusing him of failing to fulfil “his first and foremost duty” of holding ministers to account and being ready for government.

With the Labour party closer to splitting than at any point since the formation of the SDP in 1981, Eagle said she would explain her “vision for the country and the difference a strong Labour party can make” on Monday and would be touring TV studios on Sunday.

If Corbyn survives, Labour may well split as MPs form their own party. If he doesn’t survive, his activists may turn on Labour.

It is understood that Labour’s national executive committee will convene a special meeting on Tuesday to rule on whether Corbyn, who has very limited support in parliament, needs to have the support of 51 MPs to get on the ballot paper alongside Eagle and any other contenders. The Labour party has taken legal advice, which indicates that he will need to find the nominees, in line with the precedent set in 1988 when Neil Kinnock was challenged by Tony Benn.

Not sure he would get them. He only got enough last time as a sympathy gesture to have a token mad hard left winger. But if they do rule he needs them, it could well go to court.