Tory who signed up as Labour supporter wanted to expose vote ‘farce’ – but found himself exposed instead

Tory Tim Loughton probably thought it was a terrific wheeze, signing up as a Labour supporter to expose the party’s poor vetting methods and show it up as a “farce”.

Instead, he ended up falling flat on his face when Labour weeded out his application, thanked him for his “generous” donation (the party will be keeping his money) and told him he would not be asked to vote.

It’s no more than he deserves.

A far greater concern for Labour supporters should be Harriet Harman’s message to Labour MPs, calling for them to vet (there’s that word again) new party members, in order to stymie those who have joined to vote for Jeremy Corbyn in the leadership election.

If they’re not Tories, and they’re joining because they genuinely believe Corbyn is the best choice as Labour leader, it is their democratic right to do so.

As Vox Political commenter ‘hstorm’ wrote yesterday:

“Labour’s attitude is so strange. They don’t want a leader who seems extremely popular among the public, and now they want to keep large numbers of potential supporters and even party workers from joining.

“Do they really just not want to win?”

The Conservative former children’s minister Tim Loughton has been caught signing up as a registered supporter of Labour to be eligible to vote in the party’s leadership election.

Under new rules anyone can vote if they pay £3 and sign up as a registered supporter by midday on Wednesday 12 August, prompting concerns that the system could be gamed by Tory troublemakers.

Source: Tory caught signing up as Labour supporter wanted to expose vote ‘farce’ | Politics | The Guardian

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7 Comments

  1. Aelfy August 6, 2015 at 1:25 am - Reply

    I had been a member before now, but re-joined when Jeremy Corbyn was put forward as a candidate for leadership. Why? because he is the ONLY one who stands a chance of saving the labour party from themselves and the rest of us from the tories.

  2. dagabhriel August 6, 2015 at 2:23 am - Reply

    It seems with New Labour, its just the illusion of choice. That’s ok though they now have thousands of people joining up who actually believe in true values that Labour was founded on. This really isn’t going to improve the mood of the right wing of the party at all.

    • Mike Sivier August 6, 2015 at 11:38 am - Reply

      No. :-)

  3. Rupert Mitchell (@rupert_rrl) August 6, 2015 at 8:00 am - Reply

    I have not read ONE word of nasty condemnation about any of the other Labour contestants from Jeremy Corbyn, that’s the difference between a gentleman and a true politician.

  4. mohandeer August 6, 2015 at 2:20 pm - Reply

    I would not have voted Blue Labour in May under Proportionate Representation I would have voted Green many other Green supporters had to vote tactically to get the Tories out and also voted Tory Lite as the lesser of two evils. If JC doesn’t get the leadership it is likely that the Labour Party will see their membership drop off substantially in favour of Green’s fiscally responsible mixed economic strategy and their fairer society approach. He may love Labour, but if he loses the leadership bid, he could do worse than renounce his Islington seat and go to aid the Greens and take all his support with him. Labour would not even be in the running if that happened(not sure it will anyway even with JC as Labour in Islington) My subscription to JC’s campaign will end soon and if JC doesn’t get in, so will my Labour subscription. Meanwhile the Green’s are keeping their fingers crossed JC doesn’t get in because they know they will see their party numbers jump whether JC condemns hem or not. Green’s would probably welcome JC into their fold because he has more in common with Greens than Labour Blues.

    • Aelfy August 6, 2015 at 5:28 pm - Reply

      If he lost and joined the Greens? I would not follow him for in many senses that would be a form of betrayal to his many followers and I will not vote Green. Plaid perhaps but my vote would still be a wasted one.

  5. mrmarcpc August 10, 2015 at 2:31 pm - Reply

    Blue Labour that currently occupy the party right now fear Corbyn and will try any dirty tactic they can to scupper him, including letting tories sign up to join their party, glad to see it blew up in one smug, right wing scumbag’s face, keeping his donation, nice touch, must have been a genuine Labour supporter who found him out!

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