Corbyn ally vows mass protests if 'deep state' blocks Labour's agenda

A close ally of Jeremy Corbyn vowed mass protests if the “deep state” attempted to block Labour’s agenda.

Andrew Murray spoke out at a conference fringe where he was asked about previous remarks in which he suggested that the forces of the state would conspire to thwart Labour’s aims.

When asked what he would do if the “deep state” tried to block Mr Corbyn’s foreign policy aims, Mr Murray said: “We would rely on the mobilisation of the mass of people as we did in 2003.”

Mr Murray, a top official at Unite the union, is a former chairman of Stop the War and is a part-time adviser in the Labour leader’s offices at Westminster.

He was mocked for his claim that mysterious and unelected forces were likely to plot against Mr Corbyn if he won a general election.

Deputy leader Tom Watson said the claims were “a bit John le Carré” and urged Mr Murray to provide evidence to back up his case.

Mr Murray’s latest claim referred to protests when hundreds of thousands of people marched through London against military action in Iraq.

“In my view, Jeremy Corbyn stands on the threshold of Downing Street today because he stood on that stage in 2003 and spoke for the millions of all of us who wanted an agenda of peace and justice — not neo-Conservative war — and we are now within touching distance of that agenda coming to fruition,” said Mr Murray.

He also called on Mr Corbyn to end the “special relationship” with the US, saying that President Trump did not care about the UK and probably thought of it as a “golf course with a Queen attached”.

The union official added that the “war on terror” had failed and “negotiated peaceful settlements” were needed to end conflicts in places such as Afghanistan and Libya.