The Progressive Labour Party will hold a closed central committee meeting this evening to discuss “sensitive legal matters” after a court action was launched against its executive.

A notice, seen by The Royal Gazette, was sent to all party members last night about the special meeting at 6.30pm today at Alaska Hall.

It said “for clarity” that the central committee comprised “party officers, six members elected by conference, one representative and one alternate from each branch, four members of the parliamentary group, including one senator, one youth wing representative and one women’s caucus representative”.

The meeting follows the obtaining of an interim injunction in the Supreme Court on Friday by party leadership contender Curtis Dickinson to block changes to the PLP’s membership rules.

Government backbencher Mr Dickinson, who is challenging economy and labour minister Jason Hayward next month for the top job, brought the legal action along with four others.

The lawsuit seeks to block a proposal from David Burt, the PLP leader and Premier, which was adopted by the central committee last month, to stop people who publicly campaigned against the party in the past two general elections from automatically becoming members.

Mr Burt referred to the internal row and how he was “saddened” by the litigation in a letter he sent party members yesterday morning to mark Labour Day, also seen by the Gazette.

He wrote: “It pains me deeply to see a party that I have had the honour of leading to three election victories at risk of tearing itself apart as we choose the member who will succeed me.

“This should be a moment of renewal for the PLP, not division.”

The Premier claimed: “I have remained neutral in this leadership election and will continue to do so because my responsibility is to the whole party.”

He wrote that he welcomed new members and ideas, adding that the central committee’s August 24 decisions “sought to balance that growth with reasonable standards for those serving as delegates or in party office, keeping the PLP rooted in the aims of our constitution”.

Mr Burt continued: “I am saddened that this disagreement has reached the court.

“My heart goes out to chairman Dawn Simmons and secretary Patricia Basden, dedicated officers now named as defendants in their party capacities.

“Costs have been sought against them, leaving them potentially facing an order to pay legal costs. They should not carry this burden alone.”

He wrote that the central committee would meet on Tuesday to confirm support for party officers and decide next steps for the PLP.

“I will work with the central committee, as we defend the party’s position, while respecting the court’s directions,” wrote the Premier.

“Sadly, resources needed for our branches, our communities and preparation for a future General Election will now be spent defending our party officers.”

A statement released on Friday by Mr Dickinson’s campaign team, understood to be from the former finance minister himself, said the court action was necessary because the new membership process was “contrary to our constitution” and internal efforts to resolve the matter had failed.

It insisted the litigation was “not an attack on our party or its officers” and that those “named in the action are named solely because of the offices they hold”.

The matter is expected to go before the court again for a mention on Thursday.