After more than five hours of deliberation, the Labour Party’s ruling machine, the NEC, voted to agree that Jeremy Corbyn should automatically be on the leadership ballot for the party’s contest this summer.
Advertisement
Shadow justice minister Richard Burgon’s attempt to take to social media to support his leader and ally Jeremy Corbyn in a time of turmoil hasn’t exactly turned out as planned.
Angela Eagle is presenting her candidacy on Monday.
Christians on the Left has said that the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox, coupled with the party’s failure to convince voters to Remain in the European Union and divisions over Jeremy Corbyn’s position as leader are making it a very hard few months for the party.
Mr Corbyn has refused to step down since losing the support of most of his MPs in a vote of no confidence.
Taking a swipe at Mr Corbyn, Ms Eagle said: “A kinder politics must be a reality, not just a slogan”.
Angela Eagle has formally announced her decision to stand for Labour leader – saying Jeremy Corbyn can not win a General Election. “There were very well-qualified lawyers on hand to advise, so I think we are fine”.
Eagle, who has been considering a leadership bid since resigning as shadow business secretary in late June, said the party needed to move beyond the factionalism and divisions of the Corbyn era.
The party’s internal strife has fuelled tensions among its supporters, and police said yesterday that Ms Eagle’s constituency office in northern England had been vandalised.
“That will strengthen our party in order to defeat this Tory government and bring in a government that cares for the people”.
Party membership has surged once again, to around 500,000, since the referendum.
He also dismissed suggestions from former shadow cabinet minister Owen Smith, who is thought to be considering his own leadership bid, that he would split the party.
Speaking after the decision was announced, Mr Corbyn said he was “delighted” and sounded a defiant tone.
It is also unclear whether Corbyn will appear on the ballot in the new election.
Labour appoints its leader by a vote of its members, many of whom – among the grassroots at least – are passionate supporters of the Islington MP.
Advertisement
NEC members wrestled with legal advice over whether Mr Corbyn would need to secure 51 nominations to make it onto the ballot after both sides insisted Labour’s rulebook backed their case. I’m a woman from the working class North – I understand metropolitan things too, ‘ she added.
