Labour supporters who shell out £25 fee will be able to choose new leader in repeat of type of contest that twice handed the party’s reins to Jeremy Corbyn
- Registered supporter scheme first introduced in the 2015 leadership election
- It allows people who are not full Labour party members to vote in the contest
- The fee to become a registered supporter in this leadership contest set at £25
Labour supporters who are not full party members will have to pay £25 to be able to vote for Jeremy Corbyn’s successor.
The party’s ruling national executive committee made the announcement yesterday, setting the fee for those to become registered supporters in time to vote in the leadership contest.
The registered supporter scheme was first introduced in 2015, the election that Mr Corbyn triumphed in.
It allows supporters who aren’t full party members to vote for the next Labour leader.
In 2015, the fee was £3 and 106,000 people signed up to help propel Mr Corbyn to victory.
This time, the NEC has set the fee at £25 and applications to become a registered supporter open at 5pm on January 14 and close at 5pm on January 16.
To become a registered supporter and vote in the Labour leadership election to replace Jeremy Corbyn (pictured leaving the meeting where the election timetable was announced) you will have to pay £25
However, moderates fear that the short time frame will hamper efforts to sign-up backers for anti-Corbyn candidates.
There are also worries that the large fee will deter people from voting.
The NEC has also revealed a three-month timetable for the leadership election, with Mr Corbyn’s successor set to be declared on April 4.
That means that the current Labour leader will retain his role for a dozen more Prime Minister’s Questions sessions and will also be in place for Sajid Javid’s first budget.
Under the plan, his successor will only have a month before local council elections across England.
The deadline for nominations of candidates to replace Mr Corbyn is Monday afternoon.
Sir Keir Starmer, Lisa Nandy, Jess Phillips, Emily Thornberry and Clive Lewis have already declared they will stand for the top job.
Rebecca Long Bailey confirmed last night that she would also stand.
Sir Keir Stamer and Rebecca Long-Bailey are two of the six Labour MPs who have announced their leadership bids
Jess Phillips, another candidate for the leadership role, leaves the BBC Studios after appearing on the Andrew Marr show
Announcing her bid in the socialist magazine Tribune, she said the election result was ‘devastating’ and the party needs ‘a proud socialist’ leader.
Miss Long Bailey also threw her support behind policies trumpeted by Jeremy Corbyn. ‘I don’t just agree with the policies, I’ve spent the last four years writing them.’
Under the terms of the contest, candidates need to secure the nominations of least 10 per cent of the party’s MPs and MEPs – which is now 22 after the general and European election defeats last year.
If they do not meet this threshold, they will be eliminated on Monday.
Those who succeed will then go forward to the second stage when they must win the nominations of five per cent of the almost 300 constituency Labour parties (CLPs) or alternatively, three Labour affiliates – of which at least two must be trade unions.
Emily Thornberry has also declared her candidacy in the race for Labour Party leadership
Lisa Nandy is also running. Under the terms of the contest, candidates need to secure the nominations of least 10 per cent of the party’s MPs and MEPs
Clive Lewis has already declared his candidacy. Under the NEC’s election timetable, a new Labour leader will be declared on April 4
The freeze date for new members to join and be eligible to vote will be January 20 in the postal ballot.
Under the timetable set out by the NEC, nominations from MPs and MEPs will open on January 7, closing at 2.30pm on January 13.
The second stage of nominations from constituency parties and affiliates then opens on January 15 and runs to February 14.
The ballot of members and registered supporters opens the following week on February 21, closing at noon on Thursday April 2.
A special conference will be held two days later to unveil the new party leader.
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