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UK’s Labour appeals ruling on new members’ leadership votes

Many believe the court ruling will give Corbyn an advantage, as the bulk of new members are understood to be supporters of the Labour leader.

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Party officials held a meeting to decide how to respond to the test case, and have since confirmed they will be challenging the ruling.

Eagle then went on to voice her support for Labour leadership contender Owen Smith, saying that she didn’t think “such [homophobic] bigotry would flourish under him”.

The decision by the party’s national executive committee (NEC) that only members who joined before 12 January were eligible had been challenged by five people who were excluded as a result.

Labour’s leadership battle has intensified as Jeremy Corbyn and Tom Watson entered a war of words over the deputy leader’s claims that “Trotsky entryists” were manipulating young party members.

Ballot papers were due to be sent out from 22 August, but the decision has thrown up the prospect of the deadline not being met.

The judge has ordered the NEC to repay three of the claimants’ £25 fee, which they had paid on top of their membership dues in order to vote in the contest.

“It’s crucial that Telford Labour members get to hear both candidates before they make their final decision”.

The vast majority are expected to back Mr Corbyn rather than rival Owen Smith – delivering a major boost to the veteran socialist and a hammer blow to his opponent.

After the latest court verdict, William Hill immediately cut Corbyn’s odds of winning from 1/10 (91% chance) to 1/16 (94%).

The original ban affected an estimated 130,000 new party members, who had joined Labour after the “freeze date” on January 12 this year.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has rejected the idea that allies of Mr Corbyn support the ruling only because it could benefit the incumbent.

“Time and again you’ve been told that to build a strong economy we had to tighten our belts and cut public funding”.

The party’s QC is to appeal this morning’s High Court decision that it cannot have a six month freeze date for members voting in the leadership contest, and this could delay the contest between Jeremy Corbyn and Owen Smith.

Mr Justice Hickinbottom ruled that refusing the five the vote under strict rules set down by the party’s National Executive Committee “would be unlawful as in breach of contract”.

In a separate development, one of the five new members representing the disenfranchised in court has brought an additional challenge to the NEC on the grounds of age discrimination.

“I am deeply grateful for the support of so many: the donations of over 1,700 people to support the substantial costs in taking this action for democracy”.

“As the next Labour Prime Minister, I would introduce radical plans to deliver the biggest increase in living standards in a generation”.

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The court action affects nearly 130,000 Labour supporters who are victims of the freeze.

GETTY The Labour five have been crowdfunded and are seeking to raise £40,000 to cover their legal costs