The Labour Party conference descended into chaos today as Corbynista activists demanded Sadiq Khan is gagged.
The chairwoman of the session had to plead for calm after a young Labour member was jeered by the audience as he urged the party to let the London mayor speak.
Tensions between Labour moderates and more radical party activists were laid bare almost immediately after the Brighton conference formally kicked off.
Organisers of the conference had finally given Mr Khan a slot to speak on Monday after a long-running battle for him to be heard.
Momentum activist Morgan Hendy called for Labour activists to be given the platform to speak at conference and fro Sadiq Khan to be gagged
A Labour delegate was jeered by the crowd at conference today when he pleaded for Sadiq Khan be allowed to speak – pointing out he has the biggest personal mandate of any Labour politician after his mayoral victory this year
But Morgan Hendy, an activist with the Jeremy Corbyn-backing Momentum group, urged the conference to bin the slot and give the time to activists instead.
Addressing the conference, he heaped praise on the flood of new activists to the party and said Labour must ‘use this resource’ .
He said: ‘No offence, but we see him (Sadiq Khan) on television all the time…
‘I want us to give speaking time for members, for volunteers, for activists – for the people who got us so far in the General Election.’
He said that if the conference does decide to hear from Labour mayors, they should be from cities outside London.
But another young delegate gave an impassioned plea to the conference to give Mr Khan a platform in recognition of his sweeping victory earlier last year.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan is due t speak at Labour Party conference after a long-running battle to get him a slot
He said: ‘Going back to Sadiq speaking, can we just say that he has the biggest personal mandate of anyone in the Labour Party.’
His remarks were met with cheers rom some corners of the conference hall, as he continued: ‘Last year he pulled off a stunning victory in the London Mayoral campaign, it is ridiculous to say he should be blocked from speaking at this conference.
‘Yes we should have the mayors like Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram.
‘We should be championing the voices of local government and this is not the way to do it. We should have a slot for our mayors.’
But his plea were met with shouts and jeers from some in the conference hall leading the chair to step in and plead for calm.
The chairwoman said: ‘Conference, conference, even if your views are not with the speaker, please be respectful.’