SUSAN Thomas (September 1) is not correct when she claims members of other political parties are able to vote in electing the Labour leader.

The new rules allow people to register as supporters and to vote alongside party members, but they must declare that they support the aims and values of the Labour Party and do not support any organisation opposed to Labour.

A few have chosen to make mischief, including former Conservative county council leader Keith Mitchell. who has written: “If 100,000 good Conservatives were willing to invest £3 each and hold their breath when they signed the Labour support declaration, we might well have a good result... We would have a good chance of getting Jeremy Corbyn elected and then we could simply go home and enjoy a long time of Conservative rule!”

Where applicants are members or clear supporters of other parties their votes are cancelled, but they constitute a very small minority. The response has been overwhelming. Labour has gained tens of thousands of new supporters since the General Election and in Oxford alone, full membership has doubled.

The next leader and deputy leader will have been elected by more than half a million individual voters – an unprecedented mandate and all MPs and all members will work with them to help move the party forward.

ANN BLACK
Secretary
Oxford & District Labour Party
Member, Labour Party National Executive Committee