Labour’s David Lammy rules himself out of race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn
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
Mr 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 Ms 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 Ms 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/BCJG9DjidPpic.twitter.com/nhVxGSF5ml
— Jess Phillips MP (@jessphillips) January 3, 2020
Ms Phillips came third in a YouGov survey of the membership behind both shadow business secretary Ms Long-Bailey and Sir Keir, who was clear favourite. Ms 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.
