Labour 'entitled' to decide who votes for leader, court hears

Labour's governing body, the NEC, is "plainly entitled" to decide can vote in the party's leadership elections, the Court of Appeal has been told.

Clive Sheldon QC, representing the party, said the National Executive Committee is the "ultimate arbiter as to the meaning of the rules" and not the courts.

The High Court ruled on Monday that new members were entitled to a vote under the party's rule book.

The original High Court case was triggered after the NEC decided that full members could only vote if they had at least six months' continuous membership up to July 12 - the "freeze date".