Radical Corbyn ally lined up for by-election after death of MP Michael Meacher 

• e-mail

Jon Lansman, founder of the hard Left Momentum group

A radical ally of Jeremy Corbyn is being tipped to replace the late MP Michael Meacher, in a by-election that could deepen divisions in the Labour Party.

Jon Lansman, founder of the hard Left Momentum group which is plotting to infiltrate local Labour party branches, is being considered as a candidate for the Oldham West and Royton seat.

A by-election will have to be held after the death this week of the former Environment Minister, 75, following a short illness.

Mr Lansman is based in London but used to work for Mr Meacher and knows the Greater Manchester seat well.

He was the director of the Jeremy Corbyn leadership campaign and is an experienced backroom operator.

Mr Lansman was also a fixer for the late Tony Benn.

He is a Cambridge graduate with a degree in economics.

He is also ‘on leave’ as editor of the website, Left Futures, which attacks Labour MPs who are not seen as socialist enough.

During the Labour leadership campaign, Mr Lansman also directed Twitter followers to a link which mocked contender Liz Kendall for being a potential Tory leader.

He is a supporter of mandatory reselection of Labour MPs which some fear will lead to a purge of moderate candidates.

One Labour MP told the Mail: ‘Everyone is saying it’s going to be Lansman.’

The Labour Party refused to comment saying that no action would be taken until after the funeral of Mr Meacher. One source said the party would be ‘mad’ not to go for a local candidate.

A shortlist of candidates will be drawn up by the party’s ruling National Executive Committee but the final choice will be made by local Labour activists.

A radical ally of Jeremy Corbyn is being tipped to replace the late MP Michael Meacher, in a by-election that could deepen divisions in the Labour Party

Only those who have been party members for longer than six months can have a say.

Mr Lansman told the Mail that he had ‘nothing to do’ with reports that he was being lined up for the seat, adding: ‘There’s no truth to it. It is absolutely tasteless to even ask,’ before hanging up.

In a separate development yesterday, FRI, it emerged that Momentum has already begun to flood local Labour party branches with activists.

Lansman was the director of the Jeremy Corbyn leadership campaign and is an experienced backroom operator

Senior London MPs including moderates Harriet Harman, Chuka Umunna and David Lammy have had hundreds of new activists sign up to their local branches.

Momentum promises to ‘campaign in our communities and workplaces against evictions and for rent controls, against benefit caps and the iniquitous work capability assessment’.

And it will also ‘campaign inside the Labour Party to change it into the campaigning organisation we need’.