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Are you a 'bogus' Labour leadership voter? Are you a 'bogus' Labour leadership voter?
(35 minutes later)
Excitement around Jeremy Corbyn’s candidacy has inspired thousands of voters to sign up as a Labour supporter in order to vote in August’s Labour leadership election.Excitement around Jeremy Corbyn’s candidacy has inspired thousands of voters to sign up as a Labour supporter in order to vote in August’s Labour leadership election.
More than 20,000 new full members have joined the party since the leadership nominations closed, and interim Labour leader Harriet Harman has said “rigorous due diligence” is being undertaken to ensure only genuine supporters will get a vote, after the party was hit with claims that the process is open to manipulation by bogus applicants.More than 20,000 new full members have joined the party since the leadership nominations closed, and interim Labour leader Harriet Harman has said “rigorous due diligence” is being undertaken to ensure only genuine supporters will get a vote, after the party was hit with claims that the process is open to manipulation by bogus applicants.
Related: Harriet Harman: we are weeding out bogus Labour leadership votersRelated: Harriet Harman: we are weeding out bogus Labour leadership voters
“Under the old system you could be a card-carrying member of another party and you still got a vote,” said Harman. “We are now requiring people to say if they are Labour party members or supporters.”“Under the old system you could be a card-carrying member of another party and you still got a vote,” said Harman. “We are now requiring people to say if they are Labour party members or supporters.”
When we asked our readers who they were intending to vote for in the leadership election, we were inundated with responses - with almost 80% backing Jeremy Corbyn. We heard from people who had left the party during the Blair years, frustrated by the party’s drift to the right or, in many cases, the war in Iraq. We heard from students and other first-time voters, excited to have a left-wing candidate to vote for. We heard from voters who had voted Green or Ukip last time, but could see themselves voting for the party in future if Jeremy Corbyn was at its helm. When we asked our readers who they were intending to vote for in the leadership election, we were inundated with responses - with almost 80% backing Jeremy Corbyn. We heard from people who had left the party during the Blair years, frustrated by the party’s drift to the right or, in many cases, the war in Iraq. We heard from students and other first-time voters, excited to have a leftwing candidate to vote for. We heard from voters who had voted Green or Ukip last time, but could see themselves voting for the party in future if Jeremy Corbyn was at its helm.
Myself and many of my friends who voted Green in the last election have joined to vote for Corbyn. I became disillusioned with the main parties and didn't feel like they reflected my ideological beliefs. If Corbyn is leader, I'll happily support him and the party. It's awful to suggest that people are just doing it to discredit the process or the party - we're doing it because we see an opportunity to have a real alternative to selfish, Tory politics!Myself and many of my friends who voted Green in the last election have joined to vote for Corbyn. I became disillusioned with the main parties and didn't feel like they reflected my ideological beliefs. If Corbyn is leader, I'll happily support him and the party. It's awful to suggest that people are just doing it to discredit the process or the party - we're doing it because we see an opportunity to have a real alternative to selfish, Tory politics!
What we didn’t find was much evidence of a party under threat of infiltration, either by “hard-left extremists” or Conservative voters inspired by the Telegraph’s campaign to get Corbyn voted in as leader in the hope of making the Labour party unelectable.What we didn’t find was much evidence of a party under threat of infiltration, either by “hard-left extremists” or Conservative voters inspired by the Telegraph’s campaign to get Corbyn voted in as leader in the hope of making the Labour party unelectable.
However, some have felt the rhetoric around the party’s attempts to attract only “genuine” Labour party supporters is off-putting for those enthused by Jeremy Corbyn’s campaign.However, some have felt the rhetoric around the party’s attempts to attract only “genuine” Labour party supporters is off-putting for those enthused by Jeremy Corbyn’s campaign.
For decades I have been, sometimes reluctantly, a Labour supporter. I have paid my £3 to vote. However, I find it disturbing that I am to be secretly vetted by the local party apparatchicks to see if I am acceptable to them.For decades I have been, sometimes reluctantly, a Labour supporter. I have paid my £3 to vote. However, I find it disturbing that I am to be secretly vetted by the local party apparatchicks to see if I am acceptable to them.
Out of more than 2,500 responses, only a tiny handful owned up to nefarious intentions. Six people claimed they intended to sign up to vote for Jeremy Corbyn because they were Tory voters, while one said they would back Liz Kendall, the logic being that an arch-Blairite would finally finish the party off.Out of more than 2,500 responses, only a tiny handful owned up to nefarious intentions. Six people claimed they intended to sign up to vote for Jeremy Corbyn because they were Tory voters, while one said they would back Liz Kendall, the logic being that an arch-Blairite would finally finish the party off.
Unsurprisingly, when contacted these would-be voters were less keen to claim they would definitely be registering, as the journalist Toby Young did (and was consequently rejected).Unsurprisingly, when contacted these would-be voters were less keen to claim they would definitely be registering, as the journalist Toby Young did (and was consequently rejected).
One respondent, who described former Labour leader Ed Miliband using an offensive derogatory term for the disabled, said he plans to register before the deadline. “With Corbyn, I can guarantee Labour will never again be elected. [The Labour party] is finished. A vote for Corbyn would cement that, which is why he’s getting my vote.”One respondent, who described former Labour leader Ed Miliband using an offensive derogatory term for the disabled, said he plans to register before the deadline. “With Corbyn, I can guarantee Labour will never again be elected. [The Labour party] is finished. A vote for Corbyn would cement that, which is why he’s getting my vote.”
Another reader said the idea of Jeremy Corbyn being leader would be “amusing”, which tempted him to register as a Labour party supporter. “You can tell he would rather critique other people’s policies than make his own, and he definitely does not want to be leader,” he said.Another reader said the idea of Jeremy Corbyn being leader would be “amusing”, which tempted him to register as a Labour party supporter. “You can tell he would rather critique other people’s policies than make his own, and he definitely does not want to be leader,” he said.
We’re interested in hearing from those signing up to vote in the leadership election. Do you consider yourself a genuine party supporter? Are you worried you may be in danger of being deemed a bogus entrant, and join Toby Young in being weeded out from the vote? Is Labour’s response to the surge in members making you reconsider your interest in the party?We’re interested in hearing from those signing up to vote in the leadership election. Do you consider yourself a genuine party supporter? Are you worried you may be in danger of being deemed a bogus entrant, and join Toby Young in being weeded out from the vote? Is Labour’s response to the surge in members making you reconsider your interest in the party?
Share your thoughts in the comments section, or if you’ve been rejected as a registered supporter, let us know by filling in the form below.Share your thoughts in the comments section, or if you’ve been rejected as a registered supporter, let us know by filling in the form below.