Party told to consider man and woman job-sharing joint leadership

LABOUR should consider a joint leadership, with a man and woman holding the post in a job-share arrangement, a prominent female MP has said.

Lisa Nandy’s suggestion came after the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) gave its backing to the election of a female co-deputy leader to serve alongside Tom Watson.

The NEC decision prompted speculation over female MPS like Emily Thornberry, Angela Rayner or Rebecca Long-bailey seeking the deputy post as a springboard for a bid to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.

Mr Corbyn told the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1: “We haven’t had a woman leader, so maybe a woman leader would be a good idea, but I’m not planning to create a vacancy at any time soon.”

Shadow business secretary Ms Long-bailey insisted she had “not even thought about” running for the proposed new deputy role. “I haven’t thought about it,” she told Sophy Ridge On Sunday on Sky News. “I’m very busy dealing with business, energy and industrial strategy and I like that very much and I’m sure that’s going to keep me busy for a long time.”

Shadow chancellor John Mcdonnell has said he hopes the party’s next leader will be a woman.

And Mr Watson told Sky: “It seems to me the time is right for Labour to choose a woman to lead us after Jeremy.”

Mr Watson said he recognised some elements within Labour were “worried” about the prospect of having three elected figures at the top of the party, each with their own personal mandate from the membership.

But he added that he backed the female co-deputy leader post, saying: “I think it’s only good for the party and good for women’s representation and that’s why I argued for it at the NEC.”

Ms Nandy said she would like to see Labour go further and follow the example of the Greens in electing a joint male-female co-leadership team.

“I don’t really think this is enough,” the Wigan MP told Sky News. “I really welcome this announcement from the NEC today. I think it’s essential we have got a woman somewhere near the top of the party, but I don’t think that should stop at deputy leader. I think we should have this sort of system for leader as well.

“I would like to see these positions open to job-sharing, a bit like the Green Party.”

Ms Nandy said that, as shadow energy secretary, she relied on her team to stand in for her as she juggled the demands of a young family.

“It would have been great for me to be able to job-share in that role,” she added.

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said Ms Rayner would make a good deputy leader, but stressed he was not picking a favourite.

Asked at a fringe meeting whether he would back the shadow education secretary, Ms Long-bailey or equalities spokeswoman Dawn Butler for the deputy job, he said: “They would all be very good contenders.”