Corbyn speaks out over reports that activists on far left as well as rightwingers are seeking to infiltrate party to vote in leadership election

Jeremy Corbyn has told “naughty people” on the left and right of politics seeking to infiltrate the Labour party in order to vote in the leadership contest to leave the party alone.

As Harriet Harman confirmed that she is seeking assurances that the contest is being conducted within the rules, Corbyn said people should only sign up if they are genuine Labour supporters.

Appearing on Woman’s Hour on BBC Radio 4, the veteran leftwinger was asked: “There is a concern that some naughty people are joining to vote you in because they want to destroy the Labour party.”

He replied: “Naughty people shouldn’t join. They should only join and register as supporters if they are genuine supporters and become genuine members of the party. We will see what happens.”

Corbyn spoke out after reports at the weekend that activists on the hard left were seeking to infiltrate the party to vote for him in the leadership contest. The Daily Telegraph has also been running a campaign to encourage its readers to “doom” Labour by registering as supporters to allow them to vote for Corbyn.



Fears have been raised that Labour could fall victim to “entryist tactics” three decades after the expulsion of the Trotskyite Militant Tendency because members of the public are allowed to vote in the contest if they pay £3 and sign up as a registered Labour supporter.

Harman says the new system is more robust because registered supporters have to make a declaration that they are committed to the values of the Labour party. They have to sign, or agree verbally to, the following statement: “I support the aims and values of the Labour party, and I am not a supporter of any organisation opposed to it.”

Corbyn played down the threat of infiltration and said that he was performing strongly in the contest because young people opposed to austerity are becoming involved in politics for the first time.

He said: “What’s interesting to me is, in our campaign, lots of young people becoming involved, often for the first time, in politics because they do think that there needs to be a challenge to the cross-party agreement that was around on variations of austerity in the general election. Young people are excited about this. Isn’t that a good thing?”

But an ORB opinion poll for the Independent found 76% believe the party has become less electable since the general election while 24% believe the party has become more electable.

Corbyn said he was running a serious campaign that is designed to take him to No 10. “This is a serious campaign and we have put forward serious economic strategies, serious social strategies, housing and all other things. This isn’t something that has grown out of the ether and hot air.”

Corbyn appeared on Woman’s Hour to mark the launch of his Women’s manifesto. In Working Women he pledges to:

Move towards a system of free universal child care funded out of general taxation.



Force companies to publish mandatory equal pay audits.



Deliver equal protection to workers from discrimination.

Challenge everyday sexism by promoting personal, social health and economic (PSHE) education in schools. This would include sex and relationship education.

Appoint a shadow cabinet with equal numbers of men and women and work towards ensuring that 50% of Labour MPs are women.

He said: “Women face abuse, mistreatment and persistent discrimination, and they face it in work, at home and on our streets. Yet they disproportionately shoulder our unpaid care work, the daily grind of surviving on low pay, and the pain of cuts that have closed domestic violence shelters and left them with no safe haven.

“The time for timid measures is over. Women deserve fair pay, fair chances and unflinching support in the face of violence and abuse. Today’s proposals would go a long way towards building a society where women and men exist as equals and flourish.”