A MILITANT mass movement must be built to protect the next Labour government from destabilisation, the Morning Star's conference fringe heard yesterday.

Unite chief of staff Andrew Murray said we should not forget warnings from a serving army general that the military might “deal with” Jeremy Corbyn if he becomes prime minister and the risk that the “deep state” would take action to derail an administration committed to radical change.

But a more likely scenario involves economic attacks by big business and the markets, including a possible run on the pound, he argued.

Morning Star editor Ben Chacko said the “viciousness of the war of words on Corbyn now is a taster of the ruthlessness of the war we will face as a movement if we win a Labour government.”

It is vital to open up “an industrial front,” with trade unions battling for change in the workplace, working hand in glove with Labour, he argued, saluting the militant example being set by McDonald’s, TGI Fridays and Wetherspoon workers and calling for more to be done to ensure the movement is marching in step with Mr Corbyn.

Labour national executive committee member Lara McNeill emphasised the importance of democratising the party and bringing forward open selection of parliamentary candidates, while Haringey Council cabinet member Noah Tucker said Labour would need to impose capital controls and nationalise industries to deal with economic sabotage by corporations.

He noted that remaining subject to EU regulations on the free movement of capital would frustrate such policies.

Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon looked to the legacy of party founder Keir Hardie, saying it was now returning to the ideals he fought for.

He said Hardie had opposed British colonial rule in India when such a stance was deeply unpopular and was assaulted in South Africa for calling on trade unions to recruit black members, as well as warning the world of the “imperialist slaughter” that World War I would unleash.

“Remind you of anyone?” he asked. “It’s not just the beards they have in common.”

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott called for support for the Morning Star as a consistent voice for socialism and quipped: “I often think the Morning Star is the best place to put an article, as it’s the about the only paper Jeremy reads!”