Labour Party (UK) Leadership Election, 2016

[Phony Moderate]

Several crates of sandwiches have been taken in within the past hour. Probably not something that would happen if they were on the verge of wrapping up. But they'll now probably get into a bickering game about which side gets the tuna mayo ones and which side gets the cheese and tomato ones.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Reports that a vote could be imminent... though given the way this has gone, perhaps it *will* be on the distribution of sandwiches...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

18-14 for Corbyn to be on the ballot, according to the internet.

[Antonio the Sixth]

...oh.

[Hnv1]

Well...this is disappointing

[YL]

At least this way there's a chance of him losing in a way which only his more moronic supporters will be able to complain about.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Remember I said other things were being decided at that meeting? Six month membership freeze date on voting and Registered Supporters have to pay £25.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Oh and the Registered Supporters Scheme will be open for... *drumroll*... three days.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

And the ones from last year are deregistered and will have to register again. With that three day window. And twenty five quid rather than three.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Oh for f**k's sake. I think Corbyn should go but these tactics are ugly.

[Hnv1]

I'd imagine the registered supporters change would damage Corbyn's chances but momentum had been registering members for a while so maybe the freeze isn't such a good idea?

[Boston Bread]

And the ones from last year are deregistered and will have to register again. With that three day window. And twenty five quid rather than three.

Stacking the odds a bit, but Corbyn would have still won the last leadership race even without new members, no?

[IceAgeComing]

Yeah, he had 49% of members and 56% of unions and affiliated groups. 

I expected them to raise the amount for registered supporters although maybe not as much as £25: I didn't expect a six-month membership freeze and that's something that I think is incredibly unfair; its normal to have a cut-off point but that's just obscene.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Jesus Christ this is ugly.

[joevsimp]

Yeah, he had 49% of members and 56% of unions and affiliated groups. 

I expected them to raise the amount for registered supporters although maybe not as much as £25: I didn't expect a six-month membership freeze and that's something that I think is incredibly unfair; its normal to have a cut-off point but that's just obscene.

well to benchmark it, its "twice as long as the Tory party's" (not that they even got as far as having a members' ballot anyway, has anyone suggested going back to the leader being elected solely bt the PLP?)

[afleitch]

I think Labour have to be brutal about it's membership. The 3 quidder exercise has been a vehicle for entryism probably far worse than at any other time in Labour's history. The supporters of which have no aspirations to actually fight and win an election and govern. If Corbyn can't be removed that way, then the poor bastards that actually have to work with him in the PLP would be wise to simply walk off on masse and form a new opposition, take the short money and hope former Labour Party supporters come their way.

[Soonerdem]

It's quite amazing that labour has managed to take the "most chaotic political party" label away from the GOP.

[Boston Bread]

It's quite amazing that labour has managed to take the "most chaotic political party" label away from the GOP.

Yeah, if they were like the GOP everyone would have given up on replacing Corbyn by now.

[Blair]

Who decided those entry rules? They're very very very harsh (my only hope is that the saving labour types can afford to pay 25 quid)

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It's quite amazing that labour has managed to take the "most chaotic political party" label away from the GOP.

Utter nonsense. The Labour Party has been the silliest political party in the world since the day it was founded.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Who decided those entry rules? They're very very very harsh (my only hope is that the saving labour types can afford to pay 25 quid)

The NEC decided them. Would be interesting to find out who proposed them though; I presume Watson or a friend. Almost half wonder whether this was priority no.1 with the ballot access thing being half a long shot and half a distraction?

[Blair]

Who decided those entry rules? They're very very very harsh (my only hope is that the saving labour types can afford to pay 25 quid)

The NEC decided them. Would be interesting to find out who proposed them though; I presume Watson or a friend. Almost half wonder whether this was priority no.1 with the ballot access thing being half a long shot and half a distraction?

Well I read it was on a tied vote after Corbyn left.

Shock result from NEC was that Keith Vaz voted with Corbyn- there goes his chance of becoming Speaker.

It's such a stupid system, that could be challenged/changed. Labour member who joined 6 months ago (and paid Direct Debit up till now) can't vote yet if you pay out £25 next week you can (but members can't)...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Shock result from NEC was that Keith Vaz voted with Corbyn- there goes his chance of becoming Speaker.

looooooooool

You must be logged in to read this quote.

The entire RS system should have been scrapped imo.

But political parties are private constitutional societies and have the right to determine their members rights...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

If they really fell for the old 'wait till a couple of them have gone home' trick than zero sympathy frankly.

[YL]

I can see why they might want to have a cut off date for membership to be allowed to vote (otherwise it was in danger of turning into a contest between "Momentum" and "Saving Labour" to see who could sign up more new members) but 12 January seems very early (I'd be pretty annoyed if I'd joined the party in that period) and it's inconsistent not to also have a cut off date for other ways of getting a vote in the election (i.e. registered supporter status and affiliated organisations).  It makes more sense for me to sign up as a registered supporter in that window than to join the party right now.

Anyway, Owen Smith is launching his challenge this morning, so at the moment there will be two non-Corbyn choices.  I think this might actually help, as it'd mean they have to be more than just "not Corbyn" but it appears like some people are trying to get one of them to drop out.