Far-Left activists are attempting to hijack to the Labour leadership election by paying people to vote for Jeremy Corbyn, Heat Street can reveal.
Alternative news page Nye Bevan News has promised to “help pay the bills” of any voter who cannot afford the £25 new member registration fee.
The “Pro-Proletariat and anti-establishment” outlet claims to act as a vote broker: matching Corbynites who can afford to donate the fee with others who need the cash.
The site claims to have amassed more than £7,000 in the past two days – although the number of people it has paid is unclear.
In any case, paying even one person to vote for Jeremy Corbyn – or anyone else – constitutes a clear breach of Labour Party rules.
Party regulations state: “It is an abuse of party rules for one individual or faction to ‘buy’ party membership for other individuals or groups of individuals who would otherwise be willing to pay their own subscriptions.”
Nye Bevan News launched its initiative after Labour’s National Executive Committee last week ruled that anyone who joined the party this year must pay a one-off £25 fee in order to vote in the leadership election.
Many Corbynites are furious at the decision, claiming that it disenfranchises them in favour of wealthier Labour members perceived to be backing ‘establishment’ candidates Angela Eagle and Owen Smith.
Nye Bevan News, which has been strongly supportive of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, posted its controversial solution on Facebook:
“Anyone who happens to need £25 to help pay their bills before 20th July – get in touch. Anyone with a spare £25 to help people pay their bills before 20th July Contribute here.”
The site offered a link to a PayPal page purportedly operated by a woman called Kirsty Lloyd of Llaneli, Wales.
It then posted two screengrabs of a PayPal account. They show around 20 separate payments of £20, paid out over the past two days.
One was overlaid with the words “It just took us 6 hours to process the contributions we received last night….Still helping comrades to mitigate any unforeseen costs this week. Make a Contribution Ask us for assistance.”
Apparently thrilled by the scheme’s popularity, the site’s administrators posted a message reading: “The response to this has been humbling […] thanks to all of you, we know what socialism is.”
Posing as a would-be Corbyn voter, Heat Street contacted Nye Bevan News to ask for more details.
“I would like to vote for Jeremy Corbyn to remain as Labour leader, but I simply cannot afford the £25”, the reporter wrote. “I would be very grateful indeed if you are able to pay it for me.”
The site replied: “Just to clarify – we couldn’t possibly give people political advice or money to influence a democratic election, however we have been asked to pass on any assistance we receive to comrades facing any unforeseen expenses this week, is that what you mean?”
It then added, unprompted: “we need your PayPal account email address”
If the entire £7,000 war chest were spent, it would amount to 280 extra Corbyn votes – enough to drown out the voice of some constituency Labour parties.
The window for new registrations to vote closes on Wednesday at 5pm.
