Yahoo News Lisa Nandy wins GMB union's backing in Labour leadership race
Lisa Nandy’s campaign to become the next Labour leader has received a significant boost after the UK’s third biggest union endorsed her nomination.
The Wigan MP was confirmed as the GMB’s pick on Tuesday after a hustings involving the four remaining candidates. The union’s 60-strong executive also nominated Angela Rayner in the deputy leadership race, in which Rayner is the runaway favourite.
The GMB’s backing was seen as the only viable route for Nandy to gain enough affiliate support to make it to the next round. She already has the support of the National Union of Mineworkers and will have to seek a further endorsement by a socialist society.
“To win again we will have to up our game, recover our ambition and inspire a movement,” Nandy said after the decision was announced. “The GMB, the biggest industrial union, which speaks for more than half a million workers, has been offering that leadership time and time again in recent years. As I seek permission to lead us back to power as Labour’s next prime minister, I could not be more proud to have their support.”
On Monday Keir Starmer became the first candidate to confirm his place in the final ballot after receiving the support of the retail union Usdaw. He had already been backed by Unison and the environmental group Sera.
The first stage of the contest was for potential contenders to get the backing of 22 fellow MPs by 13 January. Five MPs passed this threshold: Keir Starmer (88 nominations), Rebecca Long-Bailey (33), Lisa Nandy (31), Jess Phillips (23) and Emily Thornberry (23).
The second stage requires each contender to win the support either of 33 constituency Labour parties (CLPs); or of three affiliates, two of which must be unions, and which between them account for at least 5% of the affiliated membership. This must be achieved before 14 February. Jess Phillips withdrew from the contest on 21 January.
The ballot of members and registered supporters opens a week later on 21 February, and closes at noon on 2 April. To be eligible to vote you must have been a Labour member on 20 January, or have applied to have become a £25 registered supporter by 16 January.
Corbyn’s successor will be announced at a special conference in London on 4 April.
Rebecca Long-Bailey is also expected to make the final ballot. She is favourite to win the support of Unite and the Communication Workers Union and has already received the backing of the grassroots organisation Momentum.
Party rules say a candidate must win the nomination of at least two trade unions plus another affiliate comprising 5% of affiliate members. The only other route on to the ballot is by receiving nominations from at least 5% of constituency Labour parties.
Earlier on Tuesday, Jess Phillips dropped out of the race after failing to gain the support of a single socialist society or trade union. The shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, is still in the race but also lacks support from affiliates.
Rebecca Long-Bailey
A close ally of the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, the Salford MP and shadow business secretary has been groomed as a potential leftwing contender for the top job.
Pitch Promising to champion “progressive patriotism”.
Lisa Nandy
The Wigan MP has built a reputation as a campaigner for her constituency and others like it, many of which have fallen to the Tories. A soft-left candidate, she resigned from the shadow cabinet in 2016 over Corbyn’s leadership and handling of the EU referendum.
Pitch Wants to “bring Labour home” to voters that have abandoned the party in its traditional strongholds.
Keir Starmer
Ambitious former director of public prosecutions has led the charge for remain in the shadow cabinet. He was instrumental in shifting Labour’s position towards backing a second referendum
Pitch Launched his campaign by highlighting how he has stood up for leftwing causes as a campaigning lawyer, and unveiled the slogan “Another Future is Possible”, arguing "Labour can win again if we make the moral case for socialism"
Emily Thornberry
The shadow foreign secretary and MP in Islington South and Finsbury, she will have to fight allegations of being part of the “metropolitan elite”.
Tim Roache, the GMB’s general secretary, said: “Lisa Nandy is a breath of fresh air in the debate over Labour’s future. The more members see of Lisa in this contest, the more impressed they will be by her ambition, optimism and decisive leadership. GMB is proud to nominate her.
“Lisa won’t shy away from the tough challenges or bold decisions that lie ahead because she knows that after 15 years of losing elections, more of the same won’t cut it.”
