Labour leader WILL offer his MPs a free vote on Trident as he struggles to maintain his grip on the party 

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Jeremy Corbyn on the campaign trail for Labour in London yesterday

Jeremy Corbyn will offer Labour MPs a free vote on Trident as he struggles to keep a grip on the party, according to a key ally.

Unite chief Len McCluskey said he had been assured there would be no effort to force politicians to oppose renewing the deterrent.

Mr Corbyn is vice-president of CND and has repeatedly voiced his determination to oppose nuclear weapons. 

But his efforts to shift Labour policy have been met with a furious response from moderates. 

The leader shifted Trident-supporting Maria Eagle from shadow defence secretary during a ham-fisted reshuffle earlier this year, replacing her with fellow unilateral disarmament supporter Emily Thornberry.

Ms Thornberry has been jointly heading a review of the policy with former London Mayor Ken Livingstone, who was recently suspended for suggesting that Hitler was a 'Zionist'.

But dozens of MPs have indicated that they will ignore any change in approach when the government brings the issue to the Commons, even if Labour conference votes it through in September.

Union chief Mr McCluskey, a strong backer of the Labour leader, said: 'What I'm expecting to happen, and what I am told will happen, and I think Jeremy should announce this and be clearer about it, is that Labour MPs will be given a free vote. 

'So that's the end of any division, people will be able to vote in accordance with their passion. 

'That will mean that the Trident replacement submarine and their successor submarines will go through comfortably in parliament.'

Asked by the Guardian if he had been told by Mr Corbyn's office that there would be a free vote, Mr McCluskey said: 'Absolutely. My understanding is that the Labour leader is in favour of a free vote for MPs and the quicker everybody knows that, the quicker the media can't try to prise any divisions.'

Unite is keen to protect the jobs of thousands of workers connected to the nuclear deterrent. 

Labour former minister John Spellar told MailOnline Mr Corbyn was trying to save himself embarrassment rather than being 'generous'.

The Warley MP pointed out that Labour's existing policy remained to support Trident renewal.

'Party policy is clear,' he said. 'What he is really saying is that he himself can have a free vote.

'It is Jeremy who wants to go against party policy. It may be a sensible move but actually it is to get him off the hook of voting for something that is not party policy.

Former minister John Spellar supports renewing the Trident deterrent

'It is being presented as somehow Jeremy is being generous. It is actually helping him and the CND wing. 

'Do not try to tell me that it is him being generous.' 

News of the concession emerged with Mr Corbyn under fresh pressure over his handling of Labour's anti-Semitism row.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis has condemned denials by the leader and his allies that there is a problem.

He said the party had a 'severe' issue and called for 'decisive action' to tackle it.

Mr Mirvis also said the 'worst mistake' would be to dismiss the controversy as a political attack on the leader - as Mr Corbyn's allies have repeatedly suggested.

Meanwhile, Labour's London mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan stands accused of being unfit to take over City Hall after footage emerged of him describing moderate Muslims as 'Uncle Toms'.

He used the term during a 2009 interview with Press TV, saying: During a discussion about Muslim voters, Mr Khan said: 'You can't just pick and choose who you speak to. You can't just talk to Uncle Toms.'

Mr Khan's team said he 'regretted' using the phrase, used against black people to suggest they are subservient to whites.

A spokesman said: 'This was a bad choice of phrase and Sadiq regrets using it.

'As communities minister at the time, Sadiq was talking about the need to engage with all parts of the community to tackle extremism and radicalisation - as he has pledged to do as mayor.'