Labour extends voter registration period for selection of party’s candidate for Mayor

 
Hopeful: David Lammy (Picture: Jeremy Selwyn)
Joseph Watts17 March 2015
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Labour today extended the registration period for Londoners wanting to vote in the selection of the party’s candidate for Mayor, following concerns the contest was becoming a “stitch up”.

The party’s ruling committee said a deadline for those wanting to sign-up would be pushed back by three weeks.

There had been claims the original short registration period would mean only a narrow spectrum of Londoners enrolling, handing increased influence in the contest to existing party and union members.

Tottenham MP and mayoral candidate David Lammy hailed today’s announcement, saying: “I’ve been campaigning with thousands of Londoners to make sure they are able to have a say in the [contest] and I’m very pleased that today we have taken a big step towards that.

“This primary is a unique opportunity to engage more Londoners than ever before in the process of choosing the Labour candidate for Mayor and the amended timeframe will make that more achievable.”

For Labour candidates the hotly-contested battle to succeed Boris Johnson will begin just six days after the May 7 general election.

Today’s changes mean the deadline for non-affiliated Londoners to register to vote in the primary will be extended from May 20 to June 12.

Party and trade union members were always going to have until mid-June to register, with the actual contest expected in July.

Ever since Ed Miliband announced the primary, concerns have been raised about how it was being executed.

At the start of the year one London campaigner said the contest could be perceived as a “stitch up” if the party did not take steps to open it to enough Londoners.

Fears that a £10 registration fee would put ordinary Londoners off taking part were allayed when the National Executive Committee eventually agreed to set the charge at £3.

But Mr Lammy said the party still needed to do more to ensure the primary contest is well-publicised so more Londoners not already affiliated to Labour take part.

After the NEC made its announcement shadow London Minister Sadiq Khan MP said he was “delighted”, adding: “These changes will ensure that as many Londoners as possible can take part in the primary process.”

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