Tom Watson today led a furious backlash against Labour's "spiteful" expulsion of Alastair Campbell.

The deputy leader demanded an amnesty after Tony Blair's former spin doctor was excluded for five years for voting for the Lib Dems over Brexit.

Mr Watson said "we should be listening to members rather than punishing them", adding: "The politics of intolerance holds no future for the Labour Party."

Yesterday's bombshell decision provoked a firestorm as dozens of members dared Labour to cast them out with the hashtag #ExpelMeToo.

Ex-ministers Charles Clarke, Bob Ainsworth and Fiona Mactaggart all admitted voting against Labour in last week's European elections.

Ms Mactaggart, a former minister under Tony Blair , said it was "time for us all to declare 'I am Spartacus'."

Meanwhile a Blair-era Labour grandee and top lawyer said Mr Campbell's expulsion broke party rules.

Lord Falconer said it was not an offence to vote for another party, as long as Mr Campbell didn't campaign for or promote a rival during an election.

He told the BBC: "If it was an offence under the rules, then I suspect thousands, maybe tens of thousands of members of the Labour Party at the European elections broke the rules, and that's not a tenable position."

Labour sources told the Mirror Mr Campbell had been "auto-excluded" from the party under the rules.

Yet sources would not say who triggered the "automatic" process to expel him.

And today a Labour spokeswoman was tight-lipped on whether the former Blair ministers would also be cast out.

A spokeswoman said the party does not comment on individual memberships.

Also awaiting their fate are a string of Labour members who dared the party to sack them.

One, Tom Alexander Wade, wrote: "Literally given the last 5 years of my life to the Labour Party but voted Lib Dems last Thursday b/c of Brexit.

"If only Labour were so quick to expel anti-semites, xenophobes and Kate bloody Hoey."

Another Twitter user, Margaret Hill, wrote: "Self reported on the phone to Labour party HQ that I voted LD. Told would be informed if I was going to be expelled."

A third, Cathy Halstead, wrote: "Me too. Labour member, lifelong labour voter, want a second referendum, voted Lib Dem."

A fourth, 'Paul from Eton', wrote: "Been a member of Labour since 1994. Always voted Labour. Always canvas at every election. Been a member of the 1000 Club now called Rose Network for 5 years.

"Voted Lib Dem last Thursday because I am opposed to Brexit and Labour’s Brexit policy is ambiguous."

Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson said it is "spiteful" to expel people from the Labour Party and called for an "amnesty" for members who did not support the party at the European elections.

He said: "It is very clear that many thousands of Labour Party members voted for other parties last week. They were disappointed with the position on Brexit that a small number of people on the NEC inserted into our manifesto. They were sending the NEC a message that our position lacked clarity and they were right.

"It is spiteful to resort to expulsions when the NEC should be listening to members.

"The politics of intolerance holds no future for the Labour Party. A broad church party requires pluralism and tolerance to survive.

"There should be an amnesty for members who voted a different way last week.

"We should be listening to members rather than punishing them."

Asked if Labour had followed the rules, Lord Falconer told the BBC: "I don't think they have.

"The rules say you're not allowed to support another political party.

"Does voting for another political party and only saying you've done it after the event involve 'supporting' another political party?

"I think in the context of the rules what support means is for example signing the nominations of another political party, tweeting in favour of another political party.

"It's not doing something after the event that is not intended in any way to damage the political party.

"If it was an offence under the rules, then I suspect thousands, maybe tens of thousands of members of the Labour Party at the European elections broke the rules, and that's not a tenable position."

Labour declined to comment beyond yesterday's statement, which said: "Support for another political party or candidate is incompatible with Party membership.

“The Lib Dems cannot and will not end austerity. They cannot bring our country together or be trusted to deliver on their promises.

"They propped up the Tories for five years and imposed the austerity that has devastated our communities."

Labour trailed in third on 14.1% in the EU elections while the Brexit Party won 31.6% and Lib Dems won 20.3%.

The result sparked calls at the top of the party for Labour to fully back a second rererendum on Brexit.

The Mirror today reports Jeremy Corbyn is poised to throw his backing behind a second referendum after pressure from his most senior allies.

But Labour MP Lisa Nandy warned a second referendum "could be the final breach of trust" with Labour's working-class voters in northern towns.

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