Britain's opposition Labour Party ruled on Tuesday that its current leader Jeremy Corbyn has the automatic right to stand in a new leadership contest. Mr. Corbyn has found himself in the awkward position where he enjoys the support of grassroots members and activists but not the party’s lawmakers who want to oust him. The party is therefore engulfed in a bitter internal power struggle which became obvious after the UK referendum to exit the European Union on June 23.
 
Owen Smith, Corbyn's former work and pensions policy chief, said he had hoped the situation could be resolved without a “damaging, divisive contest” but despite three meetings with Corbyn, had failed to persuade him of an alternative route.
 
“Jeremy is a good man with great Labour values … but he is not a leader who can lead us into an election and win for Labour” Smith told BBC radio on Wednesday, even though Corbyn seems to attract a lot of support by citizens who massively joined the Labour party to be able to vote for him when needed.
 
However, Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) has decided to ban new members of the party from voting in the upcoming Labour leadership election. People who had been party members for less than six months could not vote. It will also cost £25 instead of £3 to sign up as a Labour supporter – and anyone wishing to sign up only has two days to do so.
 
After Owen Smith’s announcement, some lawmakers have expressed their concern that having two candidates run against Corbyn reduces the chances of ousting him by splitting the support of those party members who disapprove of his leadership. If Corbyn, who was elected last September and retains strong support among the party's more left-leaning rank-and-file members, is re-elected in the contest, the party could split.
 
“I will be Labour until the day I die” Owen Smith said, adding he does not wish to split the party and will stand by the result of the contest.