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Southport Labour vows to fight for Jeremy Corbyn

One member from Swadlincote, who did not wish to be named, said he recently joined the Labour Party to vote for Jeremy Corbyn but is now considering leaving.

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During a long meeting on Tuesday night, the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) decided in a secret ballot that Corbyn, who comes from the party’s left, has the right to appear on a ballot and defend his leadership if challenged.

Corbyn was most recently criticized over perceptions he ran a lackluster “remain” campaign ahead of June’s European Union membership referendum and overwhelmingly lost a vote of confidence among Labour lawmakers last month.

Speaking in his Pontypridd constituency, Mr Smith will say: “This is a moment of deep peril for Labour, if we carry on as we are the party I love will end up in a disastrous spilt”.

Labour Party members, affiliated trade union supporters and so-called registered supporters are able to vote although there are some key differences from the 2015 contest, which Corbyn won previous year. However, centrists believe his left-wing policies do not appeal to the electorate.

“It is not enough for the Labour Party to simply talk about being anti-austerity”.

Owen Smith, who has thrown his hat into the ring for the Labour leadership alongside Eagle, also doesn’t seem to be able to pick his moments for trying to publicise his leadership bid.

The ruling has set the stage for a struggle between Corbyn’s supporters and party lawmakers who want to oust him.

Meanwhile, the party has reportedly closed a loophole over the upcoming election which would have allowed recent members of unions to vote in a leadership election.

A Labour donor from Cornwall is going to court to try to stop Jeremy Corbyn automatically being on the leadership ballot.

Tempers have been growing increasingly frayed on both sides since Jeremy Corbyn’s position at the head of the party came under threat.

“If you joined after January 12, you won’t get to vote and if you want to be a registered voter, you have got to pay the £25”.

Mr Corbyn’s supporters – who had reacted with joy at the news that he was on the ballot – quickly turned on the NEC accusing it of “social exclusion” and signing up new members under false pretences.

Ms Qureshi said that while she supported her leader in the no-confidence vote, she will now wait to see what the other candidates have to offer before making a decision.

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This means he doesn’t have to gather the support of 51 MPs like other leadership challengers – a task which, given his unpopularity with the parliamentary party, could have been hard.

John Mc Donnell and Tom Blenkinsop