Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson has survived an attempt to oust him but his post will be reviewed.
Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) had been expected to vote on a motion to abolish the post in a meeting on Saturday.
But following an intervention by party leader Jeremy Corbyn, the potentially explosive vote did not take place.
A Labour source said:
Jeremy Corbyn proposed that the motion not go to a vote and instead that there be a review of the position of deputy leader and other positions in support of the leader.
This will consider how democratic accountability can be strengthened to give members a greater say, expanding the number of elected positions, and how diverse representation can be further improved.
The NEC agreed to his proposal.
Watson has publicly clashed, and contradicted Corbyn on a number of occasions and has been pushing for Labour to back staying in the European Union in any future referendum.
He recently called for a new Brexit referendum to be held before a general election.
