JEREMY Corbyn has played down a rift at the heart of his leadership team after one of his closest aides resigned, denouncing the Labour leader's inner circle for its "lack of professionalism, competence and human decency".
Mr Corbyn confirmed Andrew Fisher - who is head of policy and the author of the party's last manifesto - would stand down at the end of the year to spend more time with his family.
But a memo, leaked to The Sunday Times, about his resignation warned that the party would not win the next general election.
In it, Mr Fisher said he was sick of the "blizzard of lies and excuses", and claimed a "class war" had gripped the upper echelons of the party.
But appearing on BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show, Mr Corbyn sought to downplay the reports.
"He is wanting to leave in order to spend time looking after his son and being with his wife and his family because this is a very stressful and very full-on job.
"And he is working with us for the rest of this year - he will be here for the general election campaign; he is as we speak downstairs."
The Labour leader made clear: "He is a great colleague, a great friend. We get along absolutely well but we do frequently argue; he supports Spurs.”
Mr Corbyn, an Arsenal fan, went on: “I've worked with Andrew for 15 years, when I was a backbencher and many other times. He is a great writer; he's a great thinker and he's done a huge amount of work in the party.
"We get along absolutely very well and he's promised that whatever happens in the future he will be working with me on policy issues."
Addressing Mr Fisher's damning comments in the memo, Mr Corbyn said: "He said that because he was extremely distressed at that point about whatever was going on in discussions within the office at that moment."
The party leader again declined to say if he had confidence in his deputy Tom Watson after the failed attempt by campaign group Momentum to oust him as deputy; a move said to have been supported by two of the leader’s closest allies, Diane Abbott, the Shadow Home Secretary, and Rebecca Long-Bailey, the Shadow Business Secretary.
But Mr Corbyn stressed he got on “absolutely fine” with the West Bromwich MP and that he was “brilliant at speaking out on the need for reforming the media”.
The party leader insisted that the move to abolish the role of deputy leader was not a direct move against Mr Watson “specifically”.
He explained: “What it was was concerns about the role of deputy leader and I was not aware that the particular motion was going to be moved at that time but I knew there were people who were discussing options.”
When it was suggested he should of known, Mr Corbyn sighed and replied: “Well, I’m not all-seeing and all-knowing; I’d love to be.”
The party leader attempted to defuse the row by suggesting such decisions should “not be made on a whim” but discussed properly and proposed a review about having two deputy leaders in the future, which would reflect gender and ethnic balance in society. The move was agreed to by the ruling NEC.
In the interview, Mr Corbyn denied he wanted to leave the job early and brushed aside concerns that if he did step down early, the interim leader would be chosen by just 30members of the NEC. “It could be for a very short period,” said the Labour leader, stressing it would have to be a senior Cabinet member.
Asked if he was going to step down early, the party leader told Mr Marr: “It’s wishful thinking by some people, probably yourself.”
He made clear he would take the party into the forthcoming general election to end austerity and bring about a better standard of living and opportunities for people across the country.
Asked if he became PM, would he serve a full five-year term, Mr Corbyn replied: “Of course, why wouldn’t I?..I’m looking forward to the job.”
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