Margaret Hodge: Corbyn critic reselected by Labour members to fight next general election

Prominent Jeremy Corbyn critic Dame Margaret Hodge has been reselected by her local Labour Party to contest the next general election her east London seat.

Dame Margaret, one of the most vocal opponents of Labour's handling of antisemitism allegations, tweeted a picture of herself surrounded by colleagues, with a one word message: "Victory!".

Announcing Dame Margaret's reselection for the parliamentary seat of Barking and Dagenham – an area she has represented since 1994 – Labour MP Ruth Smeeth raised a point of order in the House of Commons chamber.

She said: "I just want to put on the record the face that Margaret Hodge, the honourable (member) for Barking, has been re-selected this evening, against an appalling attack by members of our party and I am delighted she remains a Labour candidate at the next general election."

Dame Margaret, a former chair of the Commons public accounts committee at Westminster, was the second Labour MP to be "triggered" through the party's new ballot procedures which make it easier for local members to force a contest.

According to LabourList, the MP secured over 50 per cent of first preference votes with 233 votes out of almost 400 cast on Monday evening.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews said in a statement: "Congratulations to Margaret Hodge on her emphatic reselection. Trolls who opposed her reckoned without Margaret's strength and popularity.

"Not lose on anyone that Labour's so-called 'anti-racist' leader missing in action as his drones tried to force out another Jewish MP."

Speaking last month when it became clear Dame Margaret was to face a reselection bid, Harriet Harman, the party's former deputy leader, said she was "dismayed."

"Margaret Hodge scourge of tax avoiders, racists and antisemitism. Champion of progressive policies. Hyperactive local MP. Surely this cannot stand," she said.