The seeds for the strife the Labour Party finds itself in were sown by the change in its membership rules under former leader Ed Miliband.

On the face of it this was a good idea. To widen the party membership people could simply pay £3 online and become a full member.

Could indeed have the same say in the election of a leader as a veteran Member of Parliament who had served the party for decades.

Years of having to attend party meetings to sign up and show real dedication were swept away in an attempt to re-energise the party.

And while thousands undoubtedly did so because they genuinely wanted to see change in tone and policy thanks to a combination of Conservative austerity and widespread disappointment in the way it all ended for New Labour there was potential trouble ahead.

For under cover of this genuine reaction the far left Momentum group saw its chance.

Now in places like Brighton the highly organised movement has taken control of constituency parties.

It claims to be representative of this new wave of members and this may have an element of truth about it, although we cannot be sure.

What is much more questionable is whether a party led by this group could ever attract existing Labour voters and the ones it needs to win back to have any chance of doing what it was established to do: win power.