Senior Labour rebels are so convinced that Jeremy Corbyn will win the leadership contest that they are planning to elect their own leader and launch a legal challenge for the party's name.

Leading moderates have told The Telegraph they are looking at plans to set up their own "alternative Labour" in a "semi-split" of the party if Mr Corbyn remains in post.

The move would see them create their own shadow cabinet and even elect a leader within Parliament to rival Mr Corbyn's front bench and take on the Tories.

Talk about 'agency' problems! Their proposal suggests entertaining the spectacle of a disembodied head speaking as Her Magesties Loyal Opposition. Their actions scream for a mechanism for CLPs to recall MPs who insist on defying the overwhelming opposition of their electorate. Perhaps a petition process calling for a vote with a 75% majority required to effect the recall could be added at a Labour CLP general meeting - soon. Corbyn would have to call the meeting.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."