The judges allowed party officials to re-impose the “freeze date” on new members, overturning a ruling by the High Court on Monday.
Advertisement
Labour’s National Executive Committee wanted to bar nearly 130,000 new members because they have not been in the party for at least six months.
It could be interpreted as an attempt to reassure around 130,000 members excluded from voting in the leadership contest after a Court of Appeal ruling on Friday.
Five members took Labour to court over their right to vote after the party ruled that only those who were members before 12 January this year. The Party has said consistently throughout this process that we would defend vigorously the decisions of the NEC.
“It was the correct decision to seek clarification on this fundamental principle in the Court of Appeal”.
This latest ruling comes after a High Court Judge ruled on Tuesday in favour of a group of members.
A spokesman for Mr Corbyn’s campaign said that verdict was legally and democratically “wrong”.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who also serves as Corbyn’s campaign chief, opposed the appeal.”We are a democratic socialist party, you can not have one without the other”.
But the defiant Labour leader has today hit back in an interview with The Observer, calling on his deputy to “do the maths” on the 300,000 people who have joined the party in recent months.
He is facing a challenge from legislator Owen Smith in a leadership election that will be decided by party members and supporters, with the victor declared next month.
“Serious questions must be raised, however, over why and how the NEC Procedures Committee brought this appeal”.
In reality, the decision will make little difference to Corbyn’s chances of winning the leadership contest.
“I am here in Corby in the east of England, talking to party members and I will carry on doing what I am doing which is getting out there, making my case”.
The full impact of the decision on the leadership race is unclear: while Mr Smith is backed by most of Labour’s elected MPs, Mr Corbyn is strong favourite to win the contest thanks to widespread support at grassroots level.
He said: “Why I think the Black Country is important in this is there is a whole load of key seats in this area that will define whether Labour wins or not in the next election”.
“During this campaign I am putting forward my case for how the next Labour government under my leadership will rebuild and transform Britain, to ensure no one and nowhere is left behind”.
Advertisement
“They are also explicitly targeting Young Labour and Labour student clubs with the aim of recruiting new members”.
