Labour MPs raise concerns as party members fail to receive leadership ballot papers
2 min read
Labour MPs have raised concerns after it emerged many party members have yet to receive a ballot paper to cast their votes in the leadership race.
Party bosses are under pressure to iron out glitches which have left many worried they will be unable to take part in the long-running contest.
Ballot papers began being sent out to more than half a million Labour members, registered supporters and affiliates more than a week ago. But MPs are among those who have yet to receive one.
Writing on Twitter, Shadow Communities Secretary Andrew Gwynne said: "I know several members in my own CLP [Consitituency Labour Party] who’ve not received their ballot yet.
"We need to ensure every one of our 600,000 members get their say in the leadership contest."
Another Labour frontbencher, Karl Turner, tweeted: "CLP members in East Hull are asking me why they haven’t yet received their ballot papers for the @UKLabour leadership contest. This needs sorting out ASAP."
Kate Green, the Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston, replied: "I haven’t had mine. And nor has my mum."
According to The Guardian, the problem is particularly bad for the more than 100,000 new members who have joined the party since December's general election.
Chris Matheson, the MP for Chester and a supporter of Keir Starmer, told the paper: "It is very worrying that two-thirds of the way into this contest many Labour members appear not to have received their ballot papers.
"The general secretary needs to provide urgent assurance that all outstanding ballots will be dispatched as soon as possible."
A party insider said: "It's time that those at the top of the party, Jennie Formby and Karie Murphy, took responsibility.
"After being key to one of the party’s worst election results, they are now running a contest that’s taking far too long and even then they can’t ensure huge numbers of members receive their ballot. In any other job they’d have been fired by now."
A senior Labour source suggested the delay may be partly down to the fact that new applicants are checked for eligibility against the electoral roll and where there are anomalies, are being asked to verify their identity.
A source on Rebecca Long-Bailey's campaign told PoliticsHome: "It’s concerning and we hope everyone gets their ballot paper."
Jeremy Corbyn's successor is due to be announced at a special conference on 4 April.
PoliticsHome Newsletters
PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe
