Single ‘unity candidate’ will take on Corbyn

JEREMY CORBYN will face a single “unity candidate” in the Labour leadership race after Angela Eagle and Owen Smith agreed that the person with the least support from MPs should step aside.

Numerous Labour sources said the pair had come to an agreement yesterday that whoever has fewer nominations from colleagues should halt their leadership bid.

There were reports the decision could be made as early as today but MPs told The Daily Telegraph it was most likely to come tomorrow.

The decision clears the path for a head-to-head battle between Labour’s moderate wing and Mr Corbyn’s Left-wing backers.

There is now talk the pair could form a “joint ticket” with whoever has less support being promised the position of shadow first secretary of state.

“It would juxtapose our unity and breadth of support versus chaos and continued decline under Corbyn,” one former frontbencher said.

Mr Smith’s prospects received a boost after a number of Labour MPs who had backed Ms Eagle’s leadership bid defected to her rival.

Wayne David, a former shadow minister, said Ms Eagle must recognise the “momentum” is now with Mr Smith.

“I believe that Owen is getting more support inside the Parliamentary Labour Party and amongst the membership as a whole,” he told The Daily Telegraph. A second Labour MP, who also signed a letter backing Ms Eagle, said they believed Mr Smith was better placed to take on Mr Corbyn.

Ms Eagle and Mr Smith appeared alongside Mr Corbyn for a hustings in front of Labour MPs yesterday. MPs began nominating their favoured candidate last night, with the ballot closing at 5pm tomorrow. The full list of who MPs backed will be published at 6pm.

Yesterday, Mr Smith insisted he was “normal” while discussing his background and family life. He told Sky News: “I grew up in a normal household. I’ve got a wife and three children. My wife is a primary school teacher.

“I’ve been in Parliament for six years, before that I had two or three other jobs, in business, in politics and advising the peace process in Northern Ireland.”

The former BBC journalist did not appear to be seeking to make comparisons with Ms Eagle and Mr Corbyn.

However, critics compared the comments to Andrea Leadsom’s suggestion that her motherhood left her better prepared for Number 10 than Theresa May.

Mr Smith made no mention of Ms Eagle in his comments and an aide insisted that he was “just trying to say that he is an ordinary person”.

‘I grew up in a normal household. I’ve got a wife and three children. My wife is a teacher’