Deselected Labour MP Sam Tarry today raised questions over the result as he attacked his ousting as a “manufactured political circus”.
The left-wing MP was beaten to the nomination for his Ilford South seat by Jas Athwal - who was suspended days before the last selection in 2019, only to have his name cleared by an investigation.
Redbridge Council leader Mr Athwal last night thanked his local party for “supporting me through thick and thin” after winning by 499 votes to 361 in a bitter run-off.
But Mr Tarry today said he was “extremely concerned” by the result - the first Labour deselection in 12 years - and will submit questions to the party about how it was run.
A Labour source supportive of Mr Athwal claimed Mr Tarry had "gone full Trump. He's asking to see the votes. Democracies have secret ballots for a reason".
Sources close to the MP, who was sacked as shadow transport minister in July after joining striking rail workers and speaking to media about it without permission from Keir Starmer, were tight-lipped about whether he would take further action.
He said: “I am utterly crestfallen by the result in the Ilford South selection last night.
“Not for myself, but for the good people of Ilford who deserve better than to have been at the centre of a manufactured political circus.
“I am extremely concerned about the result, which does not reflect the feeling my campaigners met on the ground talking day in day out to members, or the extensive meticulous data we gathered on the campaign.
“I am taking some time to consider what’s next, but in order to be assured of the integrity of the result I am asking the party to share with me the full information of who cast electronic votes, by what method, and when they were cast, which I understand is available in the ‘anonyvoter’ system.”
“In the meantime, I will continue to represent the people of Ilford South the way I have done for the past three years - with integrity, generosity and inclusivity. Thank you to my amazing team of volunteers on the ground who are the best of Ilford.”
It came as Keir Starmer announced a shake-up of Labour staff that he claimed would “turn the page to the final act of opposition: driving the Labour Party into government”.
Mr Starmer’s chief-of-staff Sam White, who had been blamed by some for the handling of the row over frontbenchers being told not to stand on picket lines, will leave his post.
The party will also establish a new headquarters in London that will act as its general election base.
Policy and communications officers will move into the party’s HQ reporting to the General Secretary, David Evans.
Labour’s leader said: “It’s going to get harder as we get closer. But imagine how good it’s going to feel when we complete it. We can achieve what people said was unachievable.”
Before last night's meeting, allies of Mr Tarry had suggested he would only lose if the vote was "rigged". One campaign source told the Mirror hours before the vote: "At this point, with the data we have, we can’t see any way that it will be lost, unless there is foul play."
Mr Tarry had described himself as "very humbled and excited" ahead of Monday's hustings in the north east London seat.
Mr Athwal was running to stand in Ilford South in 2019 before he was suspended by the party over a serious allegation. He was later fully cleared.
Mr Athwal said: “Ilford is my home, it is where I live, went to school and where my children all went to school. It is the only place I would ever want to represent.
“My family, my local party, has supported me through thick and thin in recent years. I could not be more grateful for their belief in me. Our positive campaign is what I will be taking into the next election as Labour ends 13 years of Tory misrule.”
Wes Streeting, the party's shadow health secretary and MP for neighbouring Ilford North, was among the first to offer congratulations to Mr Athwal.
"Jas will be a superb representative for Ilford South. His is an Ilford story - the boy who came from the Punjab and built an education, successful businesses, and a wonderful family here," he said.
"He's led Redbridge Labour to three unprecedented victories because he's a local resident who fights as hard for our community as he would for his own family."
A Labour source supportive of Mr Athwal added: “The hard left is as unpopular with Labour Party members as they always were with the public.
“MPs who supported Tarry and turned a blind eye to the disgusting attacks on Jas Athwal will have to live with it on their consciences, knowing it was all for nothing."
