New Labour leader will be revealed on April 4, party confirms

Labour leadership candidates Clive Lewis, Lisa Nandy, Jess Phillips, Sir Keir Starmer and Emily Thornberry
Bonnie Christian6 January 2020
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The new Labour Party leader will be revealed on April 4, the party confirmed today.

Labour’s ruling body has agreed on timetable for the party’s leadership race, with MPs - Clive Lewis, Lisa Nandy, Jess Phillips, Sir Keir Starmer and Emily Thornberry - so far entering the running to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.

The National Executive body met on Monday, the day before Parliament returns from its Christmas recess, to decide the rules and length of the contest and who can vote in it.

A Labour Party spokeswoman said: “Our National Executive Committee has agreed the timetable and process for the leadership and deputy leadership elections. The ballot will run from February 21 to April 2, with the results announced on Saturday April 4.

“We are by far the largest political party in the UK with well over half a million members. We want as many of our members and supporters to take part, so it has been designed to be open, fair and democratic.”

Nominations will open from MPs and MEPs on Tuesday, January 7, and will close on January 13.

A YouGov poll of Labour members last week gave Sir Keir, the UK’s shadow Brexit secretary, a strong lead over his nearest rival Rebecca Long-Bailey.

Shadow business secretary Ms Long-Bailey is expected to announce her candidature shortly.

Ms Phillips and Sir Keir have said the party must learn the lessons of the party’s devastating December election defeat and why many Labour seats in the Midlands and the North of England were lost to the Tories.

Who will replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader?

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Ms Phillips also identified the manifesto - which pledged to bring rail, mail, water and energy into public ownership and extend the role of the state into new areas - as one of Labour's weak points.

Both Ms Phillips and Ms Nandy have said the party must work on being relevant to voters.

"People have to feel a connection with us again. People have to feel we are on their side,” Ms Phillips said.

Ms Nandy added: "People said to us, 'It's all very well promising free broadband but can you sort out the buses?' and that was the more pressing issue in their lives. It's not about whether you're radical or not it's about whether you're relevant."

Sir Keir and shadow foreign secretary Ms hornberry, who were strong supporters of another referendum before the election, have said Labour’s focus should be on ensuring Prime Minister Boris Johnson negotiated the best economic and trade partnership with the EU.

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