John McDonnell blames Labour's disastrous performance on a 'soft coup' by moderate MPs

Jeremy Corbyn's closest ally has blamed Labour's disastrous performance on a "soft coup" by moderate MPs and warned that the party's "very existence" is at risk.

The Shadow Chancellor said that an "alliance" was working behind-the-scenes on a new "planned, co-ordinated and fully resourced" plot to bring down the Labour leader. 

He also claimed that the latest coup was being led by "elements in the Labour Party and the Murdoch media empire". 

Writing for the Labour Briefing website, he writes that "we have to alert party members and supporters that the soft coup is underway." 

Mr McDonnell also hits out at the The Times and The Sun for publishing "fake news" by reporting that Mr Corbyn was preparing to stand down.

He said: "We have to alert party members and supporters that the soft coup is underway. It’s planned, co-ordinated and fully resourced.

"It is being perpetrated by an alliance between elements in the Labour party and the Murdoch media empire, both intent on destroying Jeremy Corbyn and all that he stands for.

"The coup is not being waged up front in public, but strictly behind the scenes.

"Having learned the lesson of the last coup attempt - that a direct attack on Jeremy and his policies will provoke a backlash from many party members - the coup perpetrators are this time round pursuing a covert strategy.

"The aim of these covert coup plotters is to undermine the support Jeremy has secured among Labour party members, and also importantly to undermine support from Labour voters.

"Undermining support for Jeremy from Labour voters is important to the plotters because their objective is to ensure Jeremy trails in the polls and can’t win elections. In this way they can destroy morale among party members and their confidence in him."

A spokesperson for Mr McDonnell said: "This article was written over a week ago in response to the intervention from Tony Blair. It was published in print last week and only went online last night.

"However, as John said yesterday he wants us all to focus on party unity following last week's by-election results. 

"And he is looking to reach out in the coming days to those across all section of the party." 

Last night Mr Corbyn pleaded with supporters not to "give up" following a humiliating by-election defeat in Copeland last week. 

He faced calls to step down last week after the party lost the seat in Cumbria, making the Conservatives the first governing party to gain a constituency in a by-election since 1982. 

But in his speech to the Scottish Labour Party conference in Perth on Sunday, Mr Corbyn insisted now is not the time to "retreat, run away or give up", despite the embarrassing loss.

Mr Corbyn also appeared to lose his temper yesterday after being repeatedly asked if he would remain in his position until the 2020 election. 

He told Sky News: “I’ve been elected twice to lead this party. I’m very proud and very honoured to lead this party. All my energy is going towards leading this party. All our party members’ energies go into campaigning for this party.”

He added: “I’m carrying on as leader because I’m determined that we will deliver social justice in this country.”

When asked again whether he would still be leader in 2020, Mr Corbyn snapped back: “I’ve given you a very, very clear answer. Yes.”