11/02/2023

Shadow foreign secretary grabs her vital 22nd nomination from a party MP – as the deadline loomed

Five candidates will be in the race to be the next Labour leader, after Emily Thornberry secured enough backing with moments to spare.
The shadow foreign secretary succeeded in getting the necessary 22 nominations from Labour MPs joining Rebecca Long-Bailey, Lisa Nandy, Jess Phillips and the favourite Keir Starmer.
But Clive Lewis, the sixth potential candidate, pulled out after gaining only five nominations, before throwing down the gauntlet to the others to pursue his policies.
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There will also be five candidates to become the deputy leader with Angela Rayner the overwhelming favourite to beat Rosena Allin-Khan, Richard Burgon, Dawn Butler and Ian Murray.
The race is now on to clear the next hurdle, to gain nominations from 5 per cent of constituency Labour parties (33), or from at least three affiliate organisations, of which at least two must be unions.
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The final nomination figures underlined why Sir Keir, the shadow Brexit secretary with 89 supporters is the candidate to beat.
He left the early frontrunner, shadow business secretary Ms Long-Bailey who has endured a difficult start to her campaign trailing badly with 33 nominations.
Ms Nandy, who is championing Labours need to win back support in towns, had 31, ahead of Ms Phillips (23) and Ms Thornberry (23).
Sir Keir said he was pleased by his level of support, adding: Another future is possible but we have to fight for it. If you want to be a part of the campaign, join me.
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Who could replace Corbyn as Labour leader?
1/11 Keir Starmer
The former director of public prosecutions undoubtedly has announced that he is standing for the leadership. He is highly-regarded by both left-wingers and centrists in the party. As Labours shadow Brexit secretary, he played a key role in the partys eventual backing of a second referendum.
Before becoming an MP, he was a human rights lawyer – conducting cases in international courts including the European Court of Human Rights. Launching his bid, Starmer said that Labour must listen to the public on how to change “restore trust in our party as a force for good.”
A YouGov poll places him comfortably in the lead as the preferred candidate of 36% of party members
2/11 Jess Phillips
The MP for Birmingham Yardley has launched her bid for the leadership, saying the party should elect a “different kind of leader.” A YouGov poll shows Phillips polling in third place behind Keir Starmer and Rebecca Long Bailey with 12% of first preference votes. Phillips has been an outspoken critic of Corbyn and members of his shadow cabinet. She made no mention of policy in her opening campaign message, focusing instead on how she would lead the party and her personal characteristics. Phillips said that Labour need to realise that politics has changed in a “fundamental way” as she set out to challenge Boris Johnson “with passion, heart and precision.”
3/11 Rebecca Long Bailey
A key ally of the current left-wing leadership of the party, the Salford & Eccles MP is viewed in some quarters as the natural successor to Mr Corbyn and describes herself as a proud socialist. Highly regarded by the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell. She won also won plaudits for her performance filling in for Corbyn both at prime ministers questions and during the general election debates.
The shadow business secretary grew up by Old Trafford football ground and began her working life serving at the counter of a pawn shop.
Launching her leadership bid, Long Bailey said the party needs to make the positive case for immigration as a “positive force.” She also broke with Corbyn over Trident, saying “If you have a deterrent you have to be prepared to use it.”
4/11 Lisa Nandy
Wigan MP Lisa Nandy has announced she wil stand for the leadership. In a letter to the Wigan Post she said she wanted to bring Labour “home” to voters in its traditional strongholds who have abandoned the party. Nandy went on to say that she understands “that we have one chance to win back the trust of people in Wigan, Workington and Wrexham.” A YouGov poll shows that Nandy is the first preference for 6% of partymembers.
5/11 Emily Thornberry
Corbyns constituency neighbour and friend, Emily Thornberry, has been critical of the partys Brexit stance, but has remained loyal to the leadership and has represented the Labour Party on various overseas visits.
The 59-year-old was brought up on a council estate near Guildford in Surrey by her mother when her father, a human rights lawyer and academic, walked out on his family. “I was born into the Labour Party,” she once said. “I was delivering leaflets by the age I could reach the letter box.
First elected as MP for Islington South in 2005, the shadow foreign secretary has launched her bid for the leadership, but the party may be looking for a leadership outside its London stronghold.
After winning back her seat in same venue as Corbyn, she said: We may be hurting tonight but we are not beaten. We will tell Boris Johnson no our fight is not over, our fight is just starting.
6/11 Angela Rayner – Deputy leadership
Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner has joined the contest for deputy leadership of the party. After ruling herself out of running for the leadership, the Ashton-under-Lynne MP launched her bid for deputy warning that Labour faces the “biggest challenge” in its history and must “win or die.” She is close with leadership contender Rebecca Long Bailey
7/11 Rosena Allin-Khan – Deputy leadership
Shadow sport minister Rosena Allin-Khan said Labour need to listen with “humility” to lost voters as she launched her bid for the deputy leadership. Writing in The Independent, the MP for Tooting refelcted: “We shouldnt have ignored the warning signs in Scotland, and now weve paid the price in northern England, across the midlands and in Wales.”
8/11 Dawn Butler – Deputy leadership
Shadow women and equalities secretary Dawn Butler was first to announce her bid for the deputy leadership. The Brent Central MP has served in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet since 2016
9/11 Ian Murray – Deputy leadership
Labour’s only MP in Scotland said that the architects of the party’s “catastrophic failure” in the December election can not be allowed to lead the party forward
10/11 Khalid Mahmood – Deputy leadership
Shadow foreign minister Mahmood said living in the West Midlands puts him in the ideal place to win back lost voters as he launched his bid for the deputy leadership. “Im not part of the metropolitan elite but in Birmingham, the workshop of Britain. I want to rebuild our country and the Labour Party.”
11/11 Richard Burgon – Deputy leadership
Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon is standing as a continuity candidate, flaunting his loyalty to Jeremy Corbyn and saying it is wrong to blame the current leader for the election defeat
1/11 Keir Starmer
The former director of public prosecutions undoubtedly has announced that he is standing for the leadership. He is highly-regarded by both left-wingers and centrists in the party. As Labours shadow Brexit secretary, he played a key role in the partys eventual backing of a second referendum.
Before becoming an MP, he was a human rights lawyer – conducting cases in international courts including the European Court of Human Rights. Launching his bid, Starmer said that Labour must listen to the public on how to change “restore trust in our party as a force for good.”
A YouGov poll places him comfortably in the lead as the preferred candidate of 36% of party members
2/11 Jess Phillips
The MP for Birmingham Yardley has launched her bid for the leadership, saying the party should elect a “different kind of leader.” A YouGov poll shows Phillips polling in third place behind Keir Starmer and Rebecca Long Bailey with 12% of first preference votes. Phillips has been an outspoken critic of Corbyn and members of his shadow cabinet. She made no mention of policy in her opening campaign message, focusing instead on how she would lead the party and her personal characteristics. Phillips said that Labour need to realise that politics has changed in a “fundamental way” as she set out to challenge Boris Johnson “with passion, heart and precision.”
3/11 Rebecca Long Bailey
A key ally of the current left-wing leadership of the party, the Salford & Eccles MP is viewed in some quarters as the natural successor to Mr Corbyn and describes herself as a proud socialist. Highly regarded by the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell. She won also won plaudits for her performance filling in for Corbyn both at prime ministers questions and during the general election debates.
The shadow business secretary grew up by Old Trafford football ground and began her working life serving at the counter of a pawn shop.
Launching her leadership bid, Long Bailey said the party needs to make the positive case for immigration as a “positive force.” She also broke with Corbyn over Trident, saying “If you have a deterrent you have to be prepared to use it.”
4/11 Lisa Nandy
Wigan MP Lisa Nandy has announced she wil stand for the leadership. In a letter to the Wigan Post she said she wanted to bring Labour “home” to voters in its traditional strongholds who have abandoned the party. Nandy went on to say that she understands “that we have one chance to win back the trust of people in Wigan, Workington and Wrexham.” A YouGov poll shows that Nandy is the first preference for 6% of partymembers.
5/11 Emily Thornberry
Corbyns constituency neighbour and friend, Emily Thornberry, has been critical of the partys Brexit stance, but has remained loyal to the leadership and has represented the Labour Party on various overseas visits.
The 59-year-old was brought up on a council estate near Guildford in Surrey by her mother when her father, a human rights lawyer and academic, walked out on his family. “I was born into the Labour Party,” she once said. “I was delivering leaflets by the age I could reach the letter box.
First elected as MP for Islington South in 2005, the shadow foreign secretary has launched her bid for the leadership, but the party may be looking for a leadership outside its London stronghold.
After winning back her seat in same venue as Corbyn, she said: We may be hurting tonight but we are not beaten. We will tell Boris Johnson no our fight is not over, our fight is just starting.
6/11 Angela Rayner – Deputy leadership
Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner has joined the contest for deputy leadership of the party. After ruling herself out of running for the leadership, the Ashton-under-Lynne MP launched her bid for deputy warning that Labour faces the “biggest challenge” in its history and must “win or die.” She is close with leadership contender Rebecca Long Bailey
7/11 Rosena Allin-Khan – Deputy leadership
Shadow sport minister Rosena Allin-Khan said Labour need to listen with “humility” to lost voters as she launched her bid for the deputy leadership. Writing in The Independent, the MP for Tooting refelcted: “We shouldnt have ignored the warning signs in Scotland, and now weve paid the price in northern England, across the midlands and in Wales.”
8/11 Dawn Butler – Deputy leadership
Shadow women and equalities secretary Dawn Butler was first to announce her bid for the deputy leadership. The Brent Central MP has served in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet since 2016
9/11 Ian Murray – Deputy leadership
Labour’s only MP in Scotland said that the architects of the party’s “catastrophic failure” in the December election can not be allowed to lead the party forward
10/11 Khalid Mahmood – Deputy leadership
Shadow foreign minister Mahmood said living in the West Midlands puts him in the ideal place to win back lost voters as he launched his bid for the deputy leadership. “Im not part of the metropolitan elite but in Birmingham, the workshop of Britain. I want to rebuild our country and the Labour Party.”
11/11 Richard Burgon – Deputy leadership
Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon is standing as a continuity candidate, flaunting his loyalty to Jeremy Corbyn and saying it is wrong to blame the current leader for the election defeat
Earlier, Mr Lewis who had secured just five nominations admitted he had no chance of getting on the ballot, but argued he had made the running on policy.
Whilst Im disappointed not to have progressed further, Im proud to have led the debate on key issues such as progressive alliances, electoral reform, democracy in our country, democracy within the Labour Party, racism and diversity, and the climate crisis.
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These issues arent going away and, given the scale of our last defeat, need to be tackled head on with sharp ideas and credible strategy so we can win the next election for the millions of people who deserve a Labour government.
A relieved Ms Thornberry thanked her colleagues for getting her in the race, saying: Its wonderful to have four strong women going through to the next stage.
In the deputys race, Ms Rayner is the clear frontrunner (88 nominations), ahead of Mr Murray (34), Ms Butler (29), Ms Allin-Khan (23) and Mr Burgon (22).
People have until 20 January to join the party if they wish to vote in the elections, with Ms Phillips thought the most likely candidate to inspire an influx.
A 48-hour window for people to sign up as registered supporters, for a cut-price £25, will open on Tuesday this week.
The results will be announced at a special conference on 4 April, with Jeremy Corbyn having dismayed many Labour MPs by insisting on staying on until then.