BARNSLEY East MP Michael Dugher has criticised Momentum, the pro-Jeremy Corbyn group within the Labour Party, which is fielding candidates in his constituency.

Barnsley East Constituency Labour Party’s AGM takes place in Hoyland tonight where chairman Coun Tim Shepherd and secretary Coun Jim Andrews, the council’s deputy leader, face opposition from Momentum candidates.

Mr Dugher told the Chronicle yesterday: “Barnsley East CLP’s executive has people from across the constituency - councillors, trade unionists, ordinary party members - and people with a range of views from traditional Labour moderates to strong supporters of Jeremy Corbyn.

“We have been a strong, united and campaigning local party that involves all members and is focused first and foremost on serving the Barnsley public. For the Momentum faction to run a slate to take out hardworking and hugely well-respected long-standing campaigners like Jim Andrews and Tim Shepherd is divisive and unnecessary.

“Momentum behaves like a party-within-a-party, they have had issues with entryists from the hard left who live on another planet from most Barnsley folk. We want one Labour Party - united, taking on the Tory government and standing up for local Barnsley people.”

Read more in this weeks Barnsley Chronicle