Activist group launches Momentum Kids initiative

Jeremy Corbyn-backing activist group Momentum is to launch a nationwide initiative to help boost the political involvement of children and their parents or carers.

Momentum Kids will expand across the organisation's network of 150 local groups and give single parents and sole carers access to co-operatively run breakfast clubs, after-school sessions and childcare to help "facilitate their political engagement".

The initiative will also aim to increase children's involvement in Momentum and Labour by "promoting political activity that is fun, engaging and child-friendly".

Momentum was set up as a successor to Mr Corbyn's successful 2015 Labour leadership campaign.

It has been dogged by allegations that it is promoting hard-left "entryism" into Labour and backing mandatory reselection for MPs critical of Mr Corbyn, all of which it denies.

Mr Corbyn's leadership rival Owen Smith has accused Momentum of seeking to gain control of Labour "by fair means or foul" through a campaign of bullying and intimidation and said it is using the party as a "host body".

But senior Momentum figures insist the group is geared towards helping Labour win elections, reaching out to those who are not engaged in politics and increasing party membership.