“What I am against is the apparent manipulation of the rules, which has elevated one member, in this case Jeremy Corbyn, above all other members”, Foster said, referring to the party’s National Executive Committee’s (NEC) decision to automatically include Corbyn on the ballot without securing nominations from 51 MPs or MEPs.
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Corbyn said later he was “delighted” with the result of the meeting, while his challenger Eagle said she welcomed the contest and was “determined to win”. Corbyn recently lost a no-confidence ballot among his lawmakers by 172 votes to 40, suggesting he may struggle to gather the nominations.
Last year, Corbyn swept to power after joining the leadership race at the minute following the resignation of former leader Ed Miliband.
The turmoil engulfing the 116-year-old party, which governed Britain for 13 years until 2010 under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, comes as the country’s political landscape is changing fast following a June 23 vote to leave the European Union.
Many on her team also argue it is time Labour had a female leader.
Labour deputy leader Tom Watson said: “This legal challenge is very unhelpful and destabilising to the Labour Party”.
After the NEC decision, the Opposition leader said: “I’m sure Labour MPs will understand that the party has to come together in order to present to the British people the options of a different and better way of doing things”.
The former shadow work and pensions secretary, who yesterday threw his hat into the ring to become Labour’s new leader, believes his party should commit to a general election or a second referendum once the nature of Brexit has been decided.
The ruling Conservative Party has quickly appointed a new leader, Theresa May, to take over from Prime Minister David Cameron this week and pilot the Brexit process.
And he tried to position himself as left of Eagle, saying she was “supported by a lot of people who are further right on the spectrum of the Labour party than I am”.
“I welcome the contest ahead”, she said on Twitter.
Within the ranks of Labour’s supporters, Mr Corbyn is even less popular.
Smith’s decision to stand could risk splitting the vote against Corbyn unless either he or Eagle pulls out at some stage, although there is an alternative voting system that counts second preferences.
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“Let’s be clear, all harassment and intimidation is absolutely wrong and doesn’t have a place in politics – as Jeremy Corbyn has repeatedly said and Momentum repeatedly says”, said Mr Schneider.
