A UNION has accused Labour general secretary David Evans of “unacceptable” silencing of members who want to discuss the party’s treatment of Jeremy Corbyn at meetings.

The party has a “very serious issue developing regarding freedom of expression and natural justice” over the ban on discussing the suspension of the Islington North MP, Communication Workers Union (CWU) general secretary Dave Ward wrote in a letter to the union’s branches.

Mr Ward warned that directives from Mr Evans forbidding Labour CLPs from discussing Mr Corbyn’s situation and expressing their solidarity, and even suspending members for doing so, “only serves to deepen divides within the party along factional grounds.”