Judge rules that the Labour leader should automatically be on the ballot
The High Court has rejected Michael Foster’s challenge to the Labour NEC’s decision that Jeremy Corbyn was entitled to an automatic place on the leadership ballot paper.
The judge ruled that the NEC had ‘reached the correct legal conclusion’ and that the contested articles have ‘a natural and ordinary meaning that seems to me to be entirely clear.’
The general secretary of the Labour Party, Iain McNicol, welcomed the courts decision.
‘We are delighted that the court has upheld the authority and decision of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party,’ he commented. ‘We will continue with the leadership election as agreed by the NEC.’
Corbyn has also welcomed the decision, describing the case as ‘a waste of time and resources when our party should be focused on holding the government to account.’
He continued:
“There should have been no question of the right of half a million Labour Party members to choose their own leader being overturned. If anything, the aim should be to expand the number of voters in this election.
“I hope all candidates and supporters will reject any attempt to prolong this process, and that we can now proceed with the election in a comradely and respectful manner.”
Corbyn’s challenger, Owen Smith, also welcomed the decision:
“I’m pleased the court has done the right thing and ruled that Jeremy should be on the ballot. This now puts to bed any questions about the process, so we can get on with discussing the issues that really matter.”
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4 Responses to “Corbyn condemns ‘waste of time’ legal challenge”
Pat Coffey
Thank goodness sanity has prevailed .
Let this be the end of these stupid challenges , and get on with the leadership challenge if we must .
Then we can together , in unity , present a common front against the Tory party.
Barrie Thompson
It would be good if Owen Smith withdrew and accepted the principal of one member one vote and that the PLP are not the arbiters as to who the leader of the party should be but the members only.
Martyn Wood-Bevan
More dirty linen washed in public will not help the Labour Party improve its standing. Our poll ratings were doing nicely until all this nonsense occurred. If a party is not actually using all its talents then this will come across to the wider electorate and cost votes. Time to hold some of the MP’s responsible for their poor behaviour. If Angela Eagle is writing negative articles in the Daily Telegraph then how is the Labour Party ever going to benefit. Tories stick together, we need to do the same.
Nick
well done to Jeremy but the bottom line is how does he intend to will over conservatives voters if his face doesn’t fit ?
and that’s the bottom line i like him but your face with regret has to fit
For the life of me i cant see the uk conservative/UKIP public voting for him and with over 50 years myself of doing free community work i know how the public think
i think with the SNP and UKIP now taking away any stray votes the public make the days of the labour party could well indeed be over
i cant see anyone in the labour party with the personality to win people over and although some may think that daft that is the only way forward as just talking those days are over