Keir Starmer is on a collision course with trade unions and Left-wingers as he launches a major shake-up of rules governing how Labour picks MP candidates.
The party's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) - a key group now controlled by Starmer loyalists - is set to be handed the power to reject activists vying to get on the party's shortlist for a Westminster seat
According to new guidance, seen by the Mirror, the party will remove shortlisting powers from regional and local party officials and the NEC "will be responsible for approving each stage of the selection process, including the election of the selection committee, timetable, and shortlist".
Labour will also impose strict spending caps, ranging from £3,500 to as little as £1,000, on selection campaigns, warning candidates "shouldn’t be able to buy their seat as a Labour MP".
Both moves will significantly reduce the Westminster influence of powerful trade unions with deep pockets, such as Unite, which has previously spent as much as £20,000 pushing preferred candidates to members and selection panels.
Sources say the new guidance, to be discussed by party chiefs next week, was drawn up in response to "slack" procedures used by Jeremy Corbyn, which allowed MPs which "brought the party into disrepute" to stand.
But other party figures feel the leader is seizing an opportunity to reduce union influence and squeeze out the Left.
A source close to the NEC told the Mirror: “Our last parliamentary selection procedures ended in a shambles, with a remarkable number of Corbyn candidates bringing the party into disrepute, some of them even receiving criminal convictions.
"These new measures will lift standards and improve the quality of our candidates.”
Labour sources say the strengthened role for the NEC comes after the Equality and Human Rights Commission's finding that Labour harassed Jewish members under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership means party "agents" have a responsibility to weed out unsuitable candidates.
But Labour Left sources say the new framework is "undemocratic" and could sideline local figures in favour of high-profile people from "central casting".
Others fear there are few safeguards in place to ensure a diverse range of candidates, including BAME, women and working class representation.
In a separate development, the party has been forced to ditch all-women shortlists for safe seats - a policy brought in under Tony Blair - because equality law forbids them as discriminatory, given the current Parliamentary Labour Party is equally balanced men:women.
Local Constituency Labour Parties will, however, get a final vote on their candidate from the final shortlist of candidates.
The timescale for the selection process has also been cut back from nine weeks to five, which unions will say curtails their ability to organise effectively.
Some believe this gives an advantage to established local figures, such as councillors, and will make it harder for BAME or women with caring responsibilities to get shortlisted.
A Labour source told the Mirror: "These new rules will help make Labour's selection process more accessible to a broader range of candidates by shortening the amount of time involved and taking big money out of selections with a tight spending cap.
"Due diligence at longlisting stage by the NEC will ensure high quality candidates and reduce the risk of another Claudia Webbe or Mike Hill bringing Labour into disrepute."
The news marks the latest stage in Mr Starmer's break with the Jeremy Corbyn era, after embarked on a mission last year to expel far left Labour members and proscribe groups linked to anti-Semitism.
A recent reshuffle, which promoted Yvette Cooper to the role of Shadow Home Secretary, also removed the remaining Left wingers from his Shadow Cabinet.
It comes as Boris Johnson is on the ropes over allegations of "industrial" scale partying at No10 when lockdown curbs were in place, with Tory MP for Bury South Christian Wakeford defecting to Labour and scores of others demanding the Prime Minister resign.
