The High Court has ruled that the Labour Party must allow five new members the vote in the leadership contest.
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The High Court case was triggered by the decision by Labour’s governing body, the National Executive Committee’s (NEC), that full members could only vote if they had at least six months’ continuous membership up to July 12 – the “freeze date”.
The five members, who have crowdfunded their legal fees, are making the case on behalf of the 130,000 Labour supporters affected by the NEC decision.
The Pontypridd MP – who is challenging Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership in a ballot of party members and supporters ending on September 24 – will accuse successive governments since the 1980s of allowing manufacturing to dwindle, while favouring the growth of the financial service sector and the creation of low-skill, low-pay jobs.
Numerous new members who were excluded later paid £25 and signed up again as registered Labour supporters in order to vote in the leadership election.
If the election is delayed, and Labour has no leader in the autumn, which is when political parties and leaders traditionally fire up their grassroots and show how strong their authority is, then the party will appear weaker than ever.
A Labour spokesman said: “It is right that the Labour Party seeks to defend vigorously decisions of the National Executive Committee in this matter, and we will now study this judgment carefully”.
It is unclear whether the ruling means these all of these supporters will now be able to vote in the contest.
“And I think that was because of a lack of concerted campaigning by the leadership over many months leading up to that point”.
Labour leadership contender Owen Smith is promising “a new industrial revolution” to make the United Kingdom into “the workshop of the world”.
“However, we understand the Labour Party are considering appealing this decision”.
Support us so we can continue bringing you the news that’s important to you. “I am deeply grateful to the support of so many – the donations of over 1,700 people to support the substantial costs in taking this action for democracy”.
Asked if he would step down if poll ratings do not improve and Labour loses council seats, Mr Corbyn said: “The party members control what happens”.
Justice Hickinbottom said the Labour NEC did not have the powers to restrict the voting rights of members and it would be “unlawful as in breach of contract”.
“It’s crucial that Telford Labour members get to hear both candidates before they make their final decision”.
‘We say there is nothing in the Labour Party rule book that suggests a limit on the members who can take part in the leadership election’.
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“Our campaign would like to congratulate those new members to the Labour Party’s NEC, and thank those former members who have served our party, and also thank those members who stood unsuccessfully”.
