The new disciplinary measure, amounting to a short-term suspension from party activity, was drawn up after vitriolic attacks by Labour MPs on senior figures including Tony Blair.

Maverick Labour backbenchers are deeply suspicious of the move, which they see as an attempt by a bruised leadership to stifle debate in the party.

Some fear that it will be used to tarnish their record so that their constituencies de-select them unless they fall into line on government policy. A rebellion by 69 MPs forced Labour to rely on Conservative votes to pass legislation to bring in self-governing trust schools.

Jacqui Smith, the Chief Whip appointed in May, will ask MPs at their weekly meeting tonight to approve the new powers to help her assert her authority.

Ms Smith was understood to be particularly angered at comments made by Alan Simpson, the MP for Nottingham South, who said that Gordon Brown taking over from Tony Blair was like replacing “Saddam Hussein with Uday”.

She had only two disciplinary options: withdrawing the whip, which is tantamount to expulsion; or a reprimand, a verbal ticking off, which Mr Simpson received. A Labour source said: “At the moment there is no ‘yellow card’ in the middle of a ticking off or a sending off, so that is the aim.”

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