LABOUR Party members have hit back at a Conservative campaign leaflet which labels Momentum as “extremists” and “fanatics”.

The brochures, which have been distributed in the Queen’s Park area of Brighton, claim Momentum has ousted three candidates for the city council elections as they are too “mainstream” Labour.

The leaflets state: “Extremist left-wing Momentum-backed candidates have replaced all three current Queen’s Park councillors.

“These are not mainstream Labour candidates, indeed one has stood against Labour in previous elections.

“Only a handful of Labour councillors have been allowed to re-stand because Momentum fanatics want to seize our city. Brighton and Hove Labour were even suspended because of bullying and concerns over the safety of its members.

The Argus:

“Now Labour councillors are switching sides, becoming independent or seeing sense and joining the Conservatives. Bullying, prejudice, and hatred must not be tolerated.

“We cannot let Momentum take control of our city.”

But Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Labour MP for Kemptown and Peacehaven, said: “This is not what I recognise the local Labour Party as and it just shows how out of touch the local Conservatives are they resort to name calling when we have serous issues like antisocial behaviour in St James’s Street and drug-taking in Queen’s Park.

“These are all exacerbated by the Tory crime commissioner cutting community policing in our area, and this is something Labour, if elected, will reverse with community wardens.”

The Labour Party’s campaign forum spokesman said: “It is a testament to their complete lack of answers for the real issues that our city faces.

“They have made the decision to spend their time attacking Labour with outright lies.

“The austerity policies of the national Tory policies are causing homelessness.

“Yet all the local Tory party has to offer are negative attacks on Labour.

“Labour is offering solutions. We are pledging to create an enforcement unit to go after rogue landlords and to build 800 council houses.”

The leader of Brighton and Hove’s Conservative Party, Tony Janio, said: “Not all Momentum members are extreme, but it’s the people who lead the group.

They are a hard-left group and it reminds me when Militant, a Trotskyist group, took over the council in Liverpool in the Eighties.”

Ex-Labour councillor Anne Meadows said: “The extreme views of Momentum members and their candidates are openly expressed to ordinary members of the Labour Party.

“Prejudice and bullying, often including anti-Semitic views, are commonplace.

“I had to leave after enduring 18 mounts of harassment. Momentum members have taken over the labour party, so residents won’t be voting for the Labour party’s traditional values, but for the extremists now.

“Personally, I would say they are fanatical, and I agree with what is stated on the Queens Park Ward literature.”