A LABOUR right-wing think tank that ran Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership campaign is canvassing party members on candidates to replace him — in a suspected plot to prevent a left shift after next May’s local elections.

Labour Together was previously run by Sir Keir’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, and its chair Fran Perrin OBE recently made large donations to two of the would-be leadership contenders.

Ms Perrin made £50,000 individual donations to Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on September 4 and October 2 respectively.

Her father, Lord David Sainsbury of Turville, meanwhile made a £44,400 donation to Darren Jones MP, who has called Tony Blair a political hero, for staffing and associated costs on September 26.

Communist Party general secretary Robert Griffiths said: “Labour’s right-wing cabal are at it again, plotting with rich and corporate donors to keep the Labour government on its disastrous right-wing course even after heavy losses in next May’s elections. 

“Only a nightmare team of Morgan McSweeney and Wes Streeting could turn the NHS and failed privatisation into vote winners for Reform UK, when our health service, public ownership and progressive taxation should be vote winners for a real Labour government.”

Labour Together asked activists this weekend for their opinions on Labour leadership contenders amid growing concern over the direction of the government and devastating approval ratings, the Times revealed.

In a survey sent to local Labour parties, members were asked to name politicians who stood “the best chance of leading Labour to electoral victory at the next general election” compared with Sir Keir.

They were also reportedly asked to rank those they would be likely to back in a leadership race.

Alongside Sir Keir, eight Labour politicians were named, including Mr Streeting, Ms Mahmood, Bridget Phillipson, Ed Miliband and Mr Jones.

Also listed were former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and deputy Labour leader Lucy Powell.

The think tank is also asking party members if they prefer “Labour politicians who have principles but are prepared to compromise to get the best outcome possible” or “Labour politicians who stand by their principles no matter what.”

Labour Together’s founders were primarily concerned with opposing Corbynism when it was set up. It was approached for comment.