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| New members may be barred from voting in Labour leader election | |
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| Tens of thousands of union members may be banned from voting in Labour’s closely fought leader’s election, party sources have confirmed. | Tens of thousands of union members may be banned from voting in Labour’s closely fought leader’s election, party sources have confirmed. |
| An ongoing meeting of the ruling national executive committee is considering stopping union affiliates who have joined in the past six months from taking part in the election in September. | An ongoing meeting of the ruling national executive committee is considering stopping union affiliates who have joined in the past six months from taking part in the election in September. |
| The move would probably help those who wish to remove Jeremy Corbyn from office. A leadership contest was sparked on Monday after the former minister Angela Eagle announced she would stand against Corbyn, swiftly followed by the former shadow welfare secretary, Owen Smith. | The move would probably help those who wish to remove Jeremy Corbyn from office. A leadership contest was sparked on Monday after the former minister Angela Eagle announced she would stand against Corbyn, swiftly followed by the former shadow welfare secretary, Owen Smith. |
| More than 3,000 people joined Britain’s biggest union, Unite, in a single day after it offered potential members a cut-price vote in the forthcoming Labour leadership contest. | More than 3,000 people joined Britain’s biggest union, Unite, in a single day after it offered potential members a cut-price vote in the forthcoming Labour leadership contest. |
| Many are thought to have reacted to calls from its leader, Len McCluskey, to stop what he has called an anti-democratic coup against Corbyn. | Many are thought to have reacted to calls from its leader, Len McCluskey, to stop what he has called an anti-democratic coup against Corbyn. |
| It is also a reaction against tough new rules introduced by Labour’s executive to deter those who do not support the Labour party from casting a vote. | It is also a reaction against tough new rules introduced by Labour’s executive to deter those who do not support the Labour party from casting a vote. |
| Under revised rules, supporters who want to register to get a vote in this year’s leadership contest will have to pay £25, compared with £3 in 2015. Party members will get an automatic right to vote only if they have been members for at least six months, eliminating the 130,000 who have joined since the referendum, believing they would get a vote. | Under revised rules, supporters who want to register to get a vote in this year’s leadership contest will have to pay £25, compared with £3 in 2015. Party members will get an automatic right to vote only if they have been members for at least six months, eliminating the 130,000 who have joined since the referendum, believing they would get a vote. |
| A procedure committee from the NEC convened at the party’s Southside office in Victoria, central London, at 10.30am to discuss the proposal. | A procedure committee from the NEC convened at the party’s Southside office in Victoria, central London, at 10.30am to discuss the proposal. |
| The party’s general secretary, Iain McNicol, is the committee’s returning officer. Others on the committee include Ann Black; Keith Birch; Diana Holland; Jim Kennedy; Paddy Lillis; Ellie Reeves; Mary Turner; Tom Watson; Margaret Beckett and Glenis Willmott. | The party’s general secretary, Iain McNicol, is the committee’s returning officer. Others on the committee include Ann Black; Keith Birch; Diana Holland; Jim Kennedy; Paddy Lillis; Ellie Reeves; Mary Turner; Tom Watson; Margaret Beckett and Glenis Willmott. |
| McCluskey has been one of Corbyn’s most vociferous backers, and stayed loyal to him as he faced a vote of no confidence backed by three-quarters of Labour MPs. More than 60 MPs resigned from the frontbench complaining that Corbyn was not a competent leader. | McCluskey has been one of Corbyn’s most vociferous backers, and stayed loyal to him as he faced a vote of no confidence backed by three-quarters of Labour MPs. More than 60 MPs resigned from the frontbench complaining that Corbyn was not a competent leader. |
| A Labour source confirmed the meeting was under way and that the position of union affiliates was under discussion. |