SENIOR Labour MP David Lammy has ruled himself out of the contest to succeed Jeremy Corbyn and called for the next leader “to unite our party’s factions”.
The former minister, who has represented Tottenham since 2000, had been considering a challenge – but said on Saturday he would not enter the race.
His decision came after prominent backbenchers Jess Phillips and Lisa Nandy announced their bids to lead the party following its worst General Election defeat since 1935.
I'm humbled by all who have encouraged me to stand for Labour leader. After serious consideration, I'm ruling myself out. I'm committed to playing my full part in opposition, but we need the candidate best placed to unite our party's factions so we can win the country's trust. https://t.co/AYskTyuKBN
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) January 4, 2020
Lammy tweeted: “I’m humbled by all who have encouraged me to stand for Labour leader. After serious consideration, I’m ruling myself out.
“I’m committed to playing my full part in opposition, but we need the candidate best placed to unite our party’s factions so we can win the country’s trust.”
The ardent Remainer suggested to the Independent that his stance on Brexit, which he maintained was a “historic mistake”, rendered him unsuitable to unite the party’s “vociferous factions”.
We need a new kind of leadership and a new kind of leader. Join us today: https://t.co/vZljpYuhrb
— Lisa Nandy (@lisanandy) January 4, 2020
Wigan MP Nandy, a former shadow cabinet minister, said on Friday that the successor must be someone with “skin in the game” and called for the rejection of “the paternalism of the past”.
Earlier that evening, outspoken Birmingham Yardley MP Phillips confirmed her bid with a call to elect “a different kind of leader”.
Both are seen as coming from the party’s centre-left and will face confirmed contenders shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry and shadow treasury minister Clive Lewis.
Others, including shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer and the current leadership’s favourite Rebecca Long-Bailey, are also expected to enter the race.
I’m standing to be the next Labour Leader. Politics needs honest voices. Only when we are honest again, with ourselves & with the country, will we become the people who get to make the decisions. I can’t do this alone. Join me to help make things better at https://t.co/BCJG9DjidP pic.twitter.com/nhVxGSF5ml
— Jess Phillips MP (@jessphillips) January 3, 2020
Phillips came third in a YouGov survey of the membership behind both shadow business secretary Long-Bailey and Sir Keir, who was clear favourite. Nandy was the last of seven candidates.
But the outsiders will be hoping to boost their profiles, with the race not expected to formally get under way until Tuesday before a new leader is installed by the end of March
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel