Corbyn critic and Labour MP Wes Streeting will defend his former leader in libel trial brought by Jewish political blogger

• Wes Streeting will give evidence at a trial where Jeremy Corbyn is being sued
• Richard Millett claims Corbyn defamed him over his conduct at a 2013 meeting
• It is understood the Shadow Health Secretary has given evidence on a separate Labour Friends of Palestine meeting in 2017 that he attended

Labour moderniser Wes Streeting, a favourite to succeed Sir Keir Starmer, is set to be a surprise defender of Jeremy Corbyn in a coming libel trial.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Corbyn critic Mr Streeting will give evidence for the former leader’s legal team against libel claims from a Jewish political blogger.

Richard Millett claims Mr Corbyn defamed him by accusing him of being disruptive at a 2013 meeting featuring a Palestinian speaker.

Mr Streeting confirmed last night that he had been asked by Mr Corbyn’s defence team to give evidence for trial this October at the High Court.

Mr Streeting confirmed last night that he had been asked by Mr Corbyn’s defence team to give evidence for trial this October at the High Court

A spokesman for Mr Streeting said last night: ‘Wes was asked by Jeremy Corbyn’s legal team to provide a factual account of an event that took place on 24th October 2017, which he did.

‘As there is an ongoing court case, it would be inappropriate to comment further.’

It is understood the Shadow Health Secretary has given evidence on a separate Labour Friends of Palestine meeting in 2017 that he attended.

Labour MPs joked last night that Mr Streeting’s involvement in the case would do the ‘Blairite, arch-Right-winger’ no harm in reaching out to Left-wing support for a future leadership contest.

Mr Millett declined to comment last night. Mr Corbyn could not be reached for comment.

Separately last week, former Labour Minister Chris Bryant was overheard on the Commons Terrace saying he would stand for party deputy leader if Angela Rayner was fined over the Beergate event by Durham Police and forced to resign.

Mr Bryant responded last night by saying he did not expect either Ms Rayner or Sir Keir to be fined and said he fully supported both of them.

Richard Millett claims Mr Corbyn defamed him by accusing him of being disruptive at a 2013 meeting featuring a Palestinian speaker

The Corbyn libel row began four years ago when MailOnline revealed footage of Mr Corbyn in 2013 saying that British ‘Zionists’ had ‘no sense of English irony’ despite having ‘lived in Britain all of their lives’.

On the Andrew Marr Show the following week, the then Labour leader said he was referring to an event at which two British Zionists were disruptive.

Although he was not named, Mr Millett is suing on the basis that coverage of the 2013 speech identified him as one of the people Mr Corbyn was referring to.

The case is going ahead at the High Court this Autumn after Mr Corbyn last year lost an appeal over the case.

Court of Appeal judges agreed that viewers would have known the ex-Labour leader was referring to blogger Richard Millett when he complained on TV about people being ‘abusive’ at a meeting.

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