Corbyn’s rival for the Labour leadership, Owen Smith, will pledge on Wednesday to create a shadow secretary of state for Labour dedicated to workers’ rights, but the leadership battle may be pitched into disarray depending on the high court ruling. Labour could be forced to reopen its nomination process for the leadership contest if a high court judge rules on Thursday that Jeremy Corbyn must have the support of his MPs to appear on the ballot. However, there is little appetite for such a drastic move among other well-known Labour donors, or a groundswell of support for Smith’s challenge to Corbyn. Martin Westgate QC, acting for Corbyn, said the court had no reason to “disturb the decision of the NEC unless the decision was unreasonable”. Meanwhile a poll for ICM put Labour 16 points behind the Conservatives, Labour’s lowest figure since October 2009 in the final days of Gordon Brown’s government.

Source: The Guardian July 26, 2016 22:17 UTC