Labour's ruling body has spent all day in a Court of Appeal fight to stop 130,000 new members voting in its leadership election.

In a dramatic new line of attack, the party claimed its ruling NEC was right to block members who joined before January 12 even if it broke the rules.

Top-priced barrister Clive Sheldon QC said the 33-strong panel "is in effect the guardian of the party's constitution and the ultimate arbiter as to the meaning of the rules".

The case is set to cost Labour members tens of thousands of pounds.

Blair ally Lord Falconer backed the appeal against five members who crowdfunded £30,000 online, telling the Mirror it was about making the NEC independent of the courts.

But Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said the appeal was undermining democracy and pointed the finger of blame at deputy leader Tom Watson.

Get your head around what the legal fight is about with our full guide here - and recap updates as they happened below.