Labour contest heats up as Lloyd lends Nandy support
SHADOW Secretary of State Tony Lloyd is supporting Lisa Nandy for the Labour leadership.
The Rochdale MP, who is on the left of the party, was tipped to back Rebecca Long-Bailey.
But he was one of 31 MPs who nominated Ms Nandy. The prominent backbencher received a major boost to her campaign earlier this week when she was endorsed by the National Union of Mineworkers.
It was a blow to Ms Long-Bailey, the Shadow Business Secretary, who is Jeremy Corbyn’s heir apparent.
Shadow Brexit Secretary, Keir Starmer, who was nominated by 88 MPs and is backed by Britain’s largest trade union Unison, is the current favourite for the job.
With the support of Labour grassroots group Momentum, and the anticipated endorsement by influential union Unite, Ms Long-Bailey is the bookies’ second favourite.
However, Ms Nandy’s campaign has been gathering steam. She has pitched herself as the candidate who can win back traditional northern Labour supporters who voted Tory last month.
She was strongly opposed to another Brexit referendum. Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry and backbench MP Jess Phillips are also standing in the contest.
To reach the final ballot, candidates need the support of at least 33 constituency Labour parties or three affiliates — of which two must be trade unions – representing at least 5% of the affiliated membership.
Last night Emily Thornberry insisted Prime Minister Boris Johnson has “a problem with women”.
Launching her bid to replace Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Opposition, Ms Thornberry insisted she was best placed to oust the PM within five years.
Ms Long-Bailey also kicked off her campaign with a speech in Manchester on Friday evening, in which she vowed to “shake up” the way Government works and put power into the hands of voters.