The Labour Party could take the High Court ruling to the Court of Appeal and if it does, a hearing could take place later this week.
Advertisement
But officials said Labour would mount a legal challenge to “defend the NEC’s right” to uphold the party’s rules and the appeal is expected to be heard within days.
He has previously said Mr Corbyn was “doing a good job” and reported to have said he will give the leader his support if he asks for it.
Read other Canary articles about the Labour leadership election.
Most Labour MPs voted against Mr Corbyn in a confidence motion last month. “The NEC didn’t have the power to essentially disenfranchise a quarter of the membership”. Clearly a full meeting of the NEC should have been called before taking such a bad decision.
“I understand the anger felt by many MU members following the European Union referendum result”. Sources suggest around 60% are Corbyn supporters.
The petition has nearly 6,000 supporters so far.
Six spaces for representatives from constituency Labour parties were filled with all six winners deemed to be on the left of the party.
This accounts for the continued efforts to restrict the ballot.
The High Court ruling has been viewed by many as a major boost for Mr Corbyn. Foskett ruled that the NEC was “right to conclude that Mr. Corbyn was entitled to be on the ballot paper without the need to obtain any level of nominations”.
“He supports what they are requesting”. We crowdfunded our legal costs and the High Court has now recognised our right to vote.
Blairite group Progress and Labour First, which represents “moderate” Labour members, failed to get their candidates elected.
Five new Labour members won their case against the party’s application of a six month freeze on eligibility to vote.
Mr Watson said former leader Ed Miliband had made a “terrible error of judgement” by ending the electoral college, which chose a new leader by giving a third of votes to the parliamentary Labour party, a third to affiliated unions, and a third to ordinary members.
In court, Mr Cragg told the judge that anyone looking on the party website, or reading its rule book, would have concluded that, having joined the party, there was nothing to stop the five from voting. “I mean they felt undermined, at times they felt actually their efforts were being sabotaged by Jeremy Corbyn and the people around him”.
They said they had paid their dues for a right to vote.
The Labour Party and its general secretary, Iain McNicol, argue the July 12 freeze is allowed under party rules and there has been no contractual breach or misrepresentation.
Mr Justice Hickinbottom said that was the basis upon which the five joined Labour, and the basis of their contract with the party.
“This already looked an unequal contest, but this new ruling seems to spell the death knell for Smith’s hopes”, said a spokesman.
“They joined because they want to be involved in the party and they’re not being allowed to. For those reasons the claimants’ claim succeeds”.
“We are appalled by the possibility of an unnecessary and costly appeal”.
Advertisement
Questions are being raised to find out whether this will be a reimbursement of the £25 fee that some paid to be eligible to vote.
