Corbyn adviser Andrew Fisher criticised for tweet apology

A senior adviser to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of showing "contempt" with his apology over a tweet backing a rival party.

Andrew Fisher has faced calls for his expulsion after suggesting people should back a Class War candidate at the general election.

The recently-appointed policy adviser said he apologised "unreservedly".

But Labour MP Ian Austin criticised his suggestion the tweet had been "misinterpreted".

"What's worse: the original tweets and all the abuse or the contempt he shows by expecting us to believe he was joking?" Mr Austin tweeted.

'Failed Trots'

Another Labour MP, Gavin Shuker, referenced Mr Corbyn's "new politics" slogan, tweeting: "The new politics. Where an apology is made for other people misinterpreting your own statement. Silly other people!"

The tweet from Mr Fisher, posted in August 2014 and since deleted, said "if you live in Croydon South, vote with dignity, vote @campaignbeard" - the Twitter name of the Class War party candidate.

Class War, an anarchist group, achieved brief notoriety in the mid 1980s for staging a "Bash the Rich" protest at Henley Regatta.

The group disappeared from the political scene for many years but has become active again, recently grabbing headlines when it daubed the trendy Cereal Killer cafe, in East London, with paint and cornflakes in a protest against gentrification.

On its website, Class War says it sees "no difference between any of the parties", adding: "We don't want to kick the Tories out to replace them with Labour or any variety of failed Trots."

Labour's Croydon South general election candidate, Emily Benn, has lodged a formal complaint about the tweet.

Under Labour Party rules, a member who "joins and/or supports a political organisation other than an official Labour group or other unit of the party, or supports any candidate who stands against an official Labour candidate... shall automatically be ineligible to be or remain a party member".

'Committed to Labour'

Mr Fisher, who has deleted his Twitter account, has also reportedly posted messages attacking former leader Ed Miliband's front bench and celebrating ex-shadow chancellor Ed Balls losing his seat at the general election.

He apologised for the tweet about the Class War candidate in an email to Labour's general secretary Iain McNicol.

In the email, reported on the LabourList website, he said: "I obviously do not and did not support Class War in any way, let alone in an election. I was and am committed to the election of a Labour government and a successful and united Labour Party."

Mr Fisher continued: "I accept that the tweet has been misinterpreted and has caused embarrassment and understandable upset among party members, which I regret.

"I wish to completely and unreservedly apologise for this tweet. I have now closed my social media accounts and assure you there will be no repetition of such activity in the future."

Labour said it did not comment on staffing matters.