This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/25/labour-leadership-andy-burnham-yvette-cooper-liz-kendall-want-extra-voter-checks
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Labour leadership: Burnham, Cooper and Kendall demand extra checks on voters | Labour leadership: Burnham, Cooper and Kendall demand extra checks on voters |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Labour has been asked by the campaigns of Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall to conduct extra checks on those eligible to vote in its leadership election, amid continuing concerns about the integrity of the ballot. | Labour has been asked by the campaigns of Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall to conduct extra checks on those eligible to vote in its leadership election, amid continuing concerns about the integrity of the ballot. |
| After a meeting of the candidates on Tuesday, it emerged Labour has weeded out almost 60,000 people for being duplicates, not on the electoral roll, or in arrears with their membership. Just over 3,000 have been excluded for being supporters of other parties, including 1,900 Greens and 400 Tories. This takes the total electorate in the leadership contest down to 554,000. | After a meeting of the candidates on Tuesday, it emerged Labour has weeded out almost 60,000 people for being duplicates, not on the electoral roll, or in arrears with their membership. Just over 3,000 have been excluded for being supporters of other parties, including 1,900 Greens and 400 Tories. This takes the total electorate in the leadership contest down to 554,000. |
| Phone calls to samples of new signups found a small proportion – 4.4% of registered supporters and 2.4% of union-affliated supporters – had backed other parties. | Phone calls to samples of new signups found a small proportion – 4.4% of registered supporters and 2.4% of union-affliated supporters – had backed other parties. |
| Related: Labour establishment blind to their own failings that led to Jeremy Corbyn surge | Letters | Related: Labour establishment blind to their own failings that led to Jeremy Corbyn surge | Letters |
| However, the Guardian understands three of the campaign teams are still pushing for extra checks to be run on the 367,000 new members and supporters who have signed up to vote since the general election over fears undiscovered infiltration could make a difference in a tight contest. | However, the Guardian understands three of the campaign teams are still pushing for extra checks to be run on the 367,000 new members and supporters who have signed up to vote since the general election over fears undiscovered infiltration could make a difference in a tight contest. |
| A source in one campaign team said there was particular concern that the party had only managed to identify the social media profiles of 45,000 people, meaning verification is largely reliant on MPs and local parties checking to see if they recognise any of the names on the voter list as prominent supporters of other parties. | A source in one campaign team said there was particular concern that the party had only managed to identify the social media profiles of 45,000 people, meaning verification is largely reliant on MPs and local parties checking to see if they recognise any of the names on the voter list as prominent supporters of other parties. |
| In particular, Burnham, Cooper and Kendall’s camps want the voting history of new members and supporters to be cross-checked to see if they have identified themselves as voters for another party, which would raise a red flag for further investigation. This proposal was previously rejected by Labour’s procedure committee against legal advice on how to make the process robust against judicial review. | In particular, Burnham, Cooper and Kendall’s camps want the voting history of new members and supporters to be cross-checked to see if they have identified themselves as voters for another party, which would raise a red flag for further investigation. This proposal was previously rejected by Labour’s procedure committee against legal advice on how to make the process robust against judicial review. |
| Related: Labour rejects trade union leader’s vote for Jeremy Corbyn | |
| At the meeting, it is understood Kendall made a proposal for anyone who had identified as a British National party supporter to Labour canvassers to be excluded from the ballot. | At the meeting, it is understood Kendall made a proposal for anyone who had identified as a British National party supporter to Labour canvassers to be excluded from the ballot. |
| Burnham, Cooper and Kendall’s teams are also pushing for a breakdown of voting by each section of the Labour electorate, so they can see whether the eventual winner is backed separately by the membership, union supporters and registered supporters. | Burnham, Cooper and Kendall’s teams are also pushing for a breakdown of voting by each section of the Labour electorate, so they can see whether the eventual winner is backed separately by the membership, union supporters and registered supporters. |
| No decision was taken about either issue at the briefing – attended by acting Labour leader Harriet Harman and procedures committee chair Jim Kennedy – but officials will discuss what to do at another meeting later this week. | No decision was taken about either issue at the briefing – attended by acting Labour leader Harriet Harman and procedures committee chair Jim Kennedy – but officials will discuss what to do at another meeting later this week. |
| Earlier, the frontrunner for the leadership, Jeremy Corbyn, dismissed fears about Tory infiltration of the process as a “lot of nonsense” and suggested people excluded should be given a right of appeal. The move to exclude people deemed to be supporters of other parties has been condemned by some of those affected on social media as a #LabourPurge. | Earlier, the frontrunner for the leadership, Jeremy Corbyn, dismissed fears about Tory infiltration of the process as a “lot of nonsense” and suggested people excluded should be given a right of appeal. The move to exclude people deemed to be supporters of other parties has been condemned by some of those affected on social media as a #LabourPurge. |
| Labour tried to hold the summit to brief the four candidates and their campaign teams at a secret location in Stevenage, but it was soon discovered by the media. Speaking from a car park outside the meeting, Harman insisted the meeting had been routine. | Labour tried to hold the summit to brief the four candidates and their campaign teams at a secret location in Stevenage, but it was soon discovered by the media. Speaking from a car park outside the meeting, Harman insisted the meeting had been routine. |
| “I am confident that there won’t be questions over the integrity of the result and there aren’t any bases for legal challenges,” she told the BBC. “The question is not which candidate you support. The question is do you support the aims and values of the Labour party.” | “I am confident that there won’t be questions over the integrity of the result and there aren’t any bases for legal challenges,” she told the BBC. “The question is not which candidate you support. The question is do you support the aims and values of the Labour party.” |
| Harman also said the verification process would go on “up until the moment where we can’t do it anymore”. | Harman also said the verification process would go on “up until the moment where we can’t do it anymore”. |
| Related: This leadership race is bigger than Labour: if Corbyn wins, Britain could be out of Europe | Polly Toynbee | Related: This leadership race is bigger than Labour: if Corbyn wins, Britain could be out of Europe | Polly Toynbee |
| The meeting was held after Burnham’s campaign last Friday raised concerns about the possible scale of infiltration by Conservatives and mentioned the prospect of legal challenges. | The meeting was held after Burnham’s campaign last Friday raised concerns about the possible scale of infiltration by Conservatives and mentioned the prospect of legal challenges. |
| Speaking at a BBC Radio 5 Live hustings, Burnham tried to downplay worries about the contest and categorically ruled out launching legal action, while Cooper, Kendall and Corbyn also said they saw no grounds for contesting the result. | Speaking at a BBC Radio 5 Live hustings, Burnham tried to downplay worries about the contest and categorically ruled out launching legal action, while Cooper, Kendall and Corbyn also said they saw no grounds for contesting the result. |
| Corbyn said “running to the court [was] not really a great idea”, while Cooper said: “Everyone must accept the result – I certainly will.” | Corbyn said “running to the court [was] not really a great idea”, while Cooper said: “Everyone must accept the result – I certainly will.” |
| However, a source in one of the campaigns said there were still “significant worries” about problems with the integrity of the contest that had not been allayed by Harman’s briefing. The source said it would be far more likely for legal action to come from a donor or senior party figure than one of the candidates, who do not want it to look like they are challenging the result. | However, a source in one of the campaigns said there were still “significant worries” about problems with the integrity of the contest that had not been allayed by Harman’s briefing. The source said it would be far more likely for legal action to come from a donor or senior party figure than one of the candidates, who do not want it to look like they are challenging the result. |
| Jon Ashworth, a Labour MP and member of the procedure committee, told the BBC the process should be reviewed after the contest is over. He also confirmed that he had supported the move for extra checks, which was deemed by the committee to be unnecessary. | Jon Ashworth, a Labour MP and member of the procedure committee, told the BBC the process should be reviewed after the contest is over. He also confirmed that he had supported the move for extra checks, which was deemed by the committee to be unnecessary. |
| “To some degree you are relying on people’s honesty to tell you whether they are a Labour supporter or not,” he said. | “To some degree you are relying on people’s honesty to tell you whether they are a Labour supporter or not,” he said. |