A second former aide of beleaguered Labour party chief Jeremy Corbyn came forward today as a potential candidate to replace the opposition leader who is facing calls for his ouster in the wake of the Brexit vote.
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Ms Eagle however indicated that she may be willing to run in a three-way battle against both Mr Smith and Mr Corbyn, telling a central London event: “I will leave Owen to do this own thing, I’ll do my own thing”.
The comments come ahead of a PLP hustings on Monday night where the leadership contenders will set out their stall to fellow MPs.
Len McCluskey, leader of Unite, Britain’s largest trade union, is an outspoken Corbyn supporter who has warned that his opponents in the parliamentary party could split the entire Labour movement if they persist.
Smith, a former BBC radio producer seen as more centrist than Corbyn, has only been a member of parliament since 2010, representing the Welsh constituency of Pontypridd.
Mr Corbyn said that included the “inequality and poverty that exists in this country, the need to end the privatisation of our NHS, the need to give real hope and opportunity to young people all across this country”.
This means members who joined after January 12 must pay a £25 fee to vote for their preferred party leader.
Deputy party leader Tom Watson called Foster’s legal challenge “very unhelpful and destabilizing”.
“But I think a lot of people I know are now saying to themselves, ‘It wasn’t the right decision.’ A lot of people are angry that they were quite clearly misled by the Brexit campaign”.
“But I don’t want us to spend the next few months with the two of them arguing with each other, especially when on so many issues they agree”.
Corbyn is nowhere near that figure after 172 MPs passed a motion of no confidence in his leadership and only 40 supported him.
Corbyn said his re-election campaign would be based on tackling inequality and poverty in Britain, adding that he would be reaching out to everyone in the party. We are at an important point in the Labour Party’s history – this will determine the direction we take for quite some time.
The decision is being challenged in the High Court by Labour donor Michael Foster who wants it overturned.
For me, he does not have the passion and strength needed to win back disillusioned Labour voters.
Ms Stevens previously had stood by Mr Corbyn, but has now told Labour members via email of a change in her allegiance.
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Michael Foster, who stood for the party in a Cornish constituency at last year’s general election, has donated more than £400,000 to Labour since 2010.
