Tom Watson is pushing to get the shadow cabinet elected by Labour MPs

Tom Waston is attempting to push through a deal that would allow Labour MPs to pick who is in the shadow cabinet.

Labour's deputy leader will raise the proposal at the ruling National Executive Committee today in a bid to get it on the agenda at next week's party conference.

However, Jeremy Corbyn wants discussion of the proposals delayed until next year as part of a wider reform of "party democracy".

Mr Watson has put forward two proposals: one that would see MPs chose who is in the shadow cabinet and the other that would split the decision evenly between MPs, Mr Corbyn and the party members.

If the NEC agrees the party will vote on it at its annual conference in Liverpool - which begins after the leadership decision is announced on Saturday.

Mr Watson's move is seen as an attempt to broker a peace deal, allowing some of those MPs who resigned from the frontbench to return amid the threat of an early General Election.

The deputy leader said Labour had to "put the band back together" and needed "all the talents around the table" if it was to take on the Tories.

He said the party's MPs were the "heart of the Labour party" and should be the ones to elect a shadow cabinet, although he added that he was "open-minded" about party members having a say.

Mr Corbyn favours allowing party members, with whom he has far greater support, to have voice on the selection of his frontbench.

Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Watson urged MPs who had resigned from the shadow cabinet at the start of the summer to rejoin but said he understood there was a "dignity issue".

Selection by MP could help those who had stepped down to return without losing face.

If Theresa May decides to call an election next year to capitalise on Labour disunity and seek a mandate for Brexit negotiations then the Labour party needs to put a swift end to its civil war. 

Mr Watson urged MPs to "swing behind" the new leader.

Two weeks ago the Parliamentary Labour Party voted overwhelmingly to bring back elections to the shadow cabinet, scrapped by Ed Miliband in 2011.

Speaking on Sky News on Sunday, Owen Smith, who is expected to be comprehensively defeated to the leadership, said Mr Corby wanted members to have a say in shadow cabinet selection to cement his own position.

However, without moderate MPs, who have been threatened with deselection over their actions by Corbyn supporters, Mr Corbyn has struggled to fill the frontbench.

:: Watch coverage of the Labour leadership announcement on Sky News from 11am on Saturday, 24 September.