Labour leadership: Stella Creasy says party 'missed a trick' over vote

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33833433

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Labour "missed a trick" over the way it allowed people to register to vote for the new party leader, deputy leadership candidate Stella Creasy has said.

New rules mean "affiliated supporters" who have donated £3 to the party can take part in the voting process alongside regular members.

Labour has been taking action to prevent other parties' members voting.

Donations of those whose applications are rejected will not be refunded, a party spokesman said.

'Missed a trick'

Since the general election, at least 35,000 people have made the small donation to Labour so they can vote without becoming a party member. The "affiliated supporters" are asked to confirm they "support the aims and values of the Labour Party".

It is feared Conservative supporters who believe a victory for Jeremy Corbyn would leave Labour unelectable are among those who have paid up.

Mr Corbyn is standing for the leadership against Yvette Cooper, Liz Kendall and Andy Burnham.

Walthamstow MP Ms Creasy told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Frankly I think we missed a trick from learning from the American experience of where people run primaries, where you register as a supporter so that you can vote in one selection but not in another.

"I'm very mindful that all these Tories who think it might be funny to join the Labour Party and take part in our selection certainly wouldn't want to do that at the cost of not being able to choose their next leader, given that Mr Cameron has said he's leaving."

Labour leadership contest

At-a-glance profiles of the four contenders

A Labour spokesman would neither confirm nor deny speculation in the Times newspaper that around 1,000 bogus registrations had been blocked by the party so far.

He said: "The Labour Party has a robust system to prevent fraudulent or malicious applications.

"Unless they intend to defect to Labour, councillors and representatives of other parties will not be allowed a vote in Labour's leadership election.

"However we will keep their generous donation of £3 to the Labour Party."

Labour's acting leader Harriet Harman has written to all of the party's MPs asking them to check new members are not trying to skew the leadership contest.

Each MP has been sent a list of new members from their constituency so they can check for suspicious names.

Ballot papers are due to be sent out at the end of next week, with the result of the contest announced on 12 September.