Labour’s leadership battle descended into farce today after judges ruled the party had unlawfully blocked up to 130,000 activists from voting. But these NEC elections have no bearing on the leadership contest itself.
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When this campaign failed to dislodge Corbyn, efforts were made to rig the election. “Jeremy Corbyn on the other hand called for article 50 to be invoked nearly immediately after the Brexit vote was announced”.
Mr Smith is calling for the British public to have a second say to endorse the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, a move that Mr Corbyn has so far not backed, insisting that the party must “abide by” the result of the June 23 referendum.
If it loses the appeal, Labour is likely to have to refund the £25 supporter fee paid by new members at a potential cost of several million pounds and will have to work out how to stop those individuals having a duplicate vote. “The NEC didn’t have the power to essentially disenfranchise a quarter of the membership”.
A High Court judge said the NEC had committed a “breach of contract” by restricting those eligible to vote in the leadership election.
Members of the Lincoln Labour Party have given a resounding vote of confidence to under pressure leader Jeremy Corbyn, nominating him by a overwhelming margin.
Since January, membership has risen again to 515,000, with 129,726 people joining between the June 23 referendum on United Kingdom membership of the European Union (which resulted in a majority for Leave) and July 8. Sources suggest around 60% are Corbyn supporters.
This accounts for the continued efforts to restrict the ballot.
The first was a challenge by Labour donor Michael Foster against Mr Corbyn appearing on the ballot without MPs’ support.
Four named members challenged the decision: Christine Evangelou, the Rev Edward Leir, Hannah Fordham and Chris Granger.
Whelan spelled out the clear reality that treating members joining the party after January 12 differently from those already in was wrong in both principle and in law.
Despite being hugely unpopular among the parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), Corbyn now has even greater control of the party’s most crucial organ. “I actually canvassed for them the election before last”.
Mr Justice Hickinbottom, sitting in London, ruled that refusing the five the vote “would be unlawful as in breach of contract”.
Afterwards Kate Harrison of Harrison Grant solicitors, who was representing the five Labour members, told reporters that the victory was about ensuring democracy and the rule of law were enforced: “This is an excellent judgment which shows how seriously the right to vote and the rules are taken”.
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Describing the reform he wants to see of the United Kingdom economy, he will say: “For too long, successive governments have allowed our economy to be too reliant on financial services and the creation of insecure, low-skilled, and low-paid jobs”.
