NEC rules Jeremy Corbyn WILL automatically be on the Labour leadership ballot paper
![Jeremy Corbyn [Image: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images].](https://voxpoliticalonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/160712-Corbyn.png)
Jeremy Corbyn [Image: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images].
Members of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) have decided that Jeremy Corbyn’s name must appear on voting slips for the Labour leadership, by a majority of 18 votes to 14.
Speculation was rife that the Labour leader had lost this fight when NEC members voted earlier today to hold a secret ballot, by a majority of 17-15. There is no provision in the Labour Party Rule Book for the NEC to vote secretly, so This Writer was one of several commentators to call this into question. I still think the vote should have been recorded.
Now, members of the conspiracy that has been trying to unseat Mr Corbyn since June 26 have the option of legal action to reverse the ruling. This will tie up Labour in an onerous legal process, probably for many weeks, while the Conservatives regroup behind new prime minister-designate Theresa May.
There is nothing to stop Mrs May from calling a snap general election just as soon as she gets the chance. If she does, it is likely that all 172 Labour MPs who voted to remove Mr Corbyn may themselves be unseated, as the public reacts to their treachery. But this would also mean the end of Labour as a national political force – at least for the time being.
On the other hand, it is possible that Mr Corbyn’s place on the ballot paper will go unchallenged, allowing Stephen Kinnock and some of the others who have been talking down members’ support for Jeremy Corbyn to find out whether they are right. This Writer thinks they’ll have a nasty surprise and Mr Corbyn will be returned with an increased majority.
It is also possible that members’ support for Mr Corbyn may have swayed the NEC more than any legal concerns. If Corbyn had been blocked, then hundreds of thousands of members were likely to leave the party, and hundreds of thousands more were likely to have stayed on only to foil the anti-Corbyn conspirators in any further anti-democratic action.
Suppose this had happened, and Theresa May called an election? Then, Labour really would be finished.
Perhaps it would be better if the conspirators accepted defeat, formed a little party of their own, and followed the accepted procedure of going through by-elections against new Labour candidates, along with those of other parties.
Jeremy Corbyn would have the support of MPs who really wanted to campaign for his policies. It would be for the good of the Labour Party.
But then, did anybody really believe that Angela Eagle, Owen Smith, Hilary Benn, Margaret Hodge and the others really had the good of the Labour Party at heart?
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Battle one over many more to come its going to get dirty
My understanding is that May couldn’t just call a snap election even if she wanted to. This was something I didn’t notice when it happened but apparently thsi means its not possible:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed-term_Parliaments_Act_2011
It is possible – if enough MPs vote for it.
He done well and will win against any opposition
The icing on the cake is that the traitors decide to through away the towel and leave the Labour party for the serious one and join or form another party of their own and subs it with their own wealth gain on manipulating the “pleb” for years.
Now the secret vote gave Corbyn his well earn place, we need to back him more than before for the task ahead and take the fight to the toriesfrom now and believe that austerity is on it’s way out and honesty not only prevail but win what ever try to block it.
Viva Corbyn!!
Excellent news. As a Tory, I will be voting again for JC. It is called democracy. I want him to be leader, but probably for different reasons to his followers. I will look on intently if he gets elected and his troops will not serve. It is not often that you can witness the implosion of a political party.
Mike there was never any doubt JC would be on the Ballot Paper, the Cowards Treacherous Slimy Oily Greasy Lying Disgusting ones at that new any other outcome would have caused outrage the like of which Westminster has never seen, there are a lot in fact 174 very Frightened MPs tonight IF JC wins this unconstitutional challenge against Him the Abomination that is New Labour will be consigned to History.
Interesting. I had a discussion with my MP the other day about the way he voted in the no confidence coup. During it he was quite forthcoming about his reasons and his support for the Blairite fraction. During the discussion I asked him what he will do if the membership support Corbyn. Weirdly enough this was the one question he didn’t have an answer to. Possibly, like with the referendum, they are complacent about the result and aren’t planning for defeat or possibly there will be mass resignation from the party leaving the SNP as the official opposition and Labour unelectable in my lifetime. Certainly they don’t seem inclined to accept the wishes of the membership.
The secret vote is a breach of Labour rules, so those who voted for it should be ejected – they after all pledged on joining to support those rules.
They seem to be intent on self-selecting themselves for ejection.
Can anyone explain to me what the conspirators want? I can’t figure it out, because they have minority support in the Party and, I think, among Labour voters too. They’re weird.
But then, did anybody really believe that Angela Eagle, Owen Smith, Hilary Benn, Margaret Hodge and the others really had the good of the Labour Party at heart?
Unfortunately, and absolutely NOT!
What has troubled me most about this is the fact that the NEC actually held a vote. I’m no lawyer but to me it was indisputable that the rule book was quite clear in specifying that Jeremy Corbyn as the incumbent leader was automatically eligible for inclusion in the ballot. Surely only seriously dubious legal advice could suggest otherwise. In fact the NEC came close to ignoring the rule book and trying rewrite it.
To cap it all we were treated to John McTernan almost hysterically accusing the NEC of destroying the Labour Party. If he had said “New Labour” (which was probably what he meant) I might have been inclined to agree with him.
I wonder if Tony Blair will still be thinking his thoughts on all of this deserve to be heard?