Sadiq Khan rules out voting for Rebecca Long-Bailey in Labour leadership election
2 min read
Sadiq Khan has ruled out backing Rebecca Long-Bailey to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader.
The London mayor said the party must elect someone who has learned the lessons of the party's general election defeat and "who’s going to get back into winning".
However, he said he had yet to make up his mind whether to back Keir Starmer or Lisa Nandy.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, Mr Khan said: "Of the three candidates left I would be very surprised if Rebecca Long-Bailey was able to change my view of her.
"I’ll probably decide over the course of the next few days between Keir and Lisa."
Mrs Long-Bailey has said she would give Jeremy Corbyn's leadership "10 out of 10" and has also raised the prospect of offering him a Shadow Cabinet post if she wins the race to succeed him.
But Mr Khan - who nominated Mr Corbyn for leader in 2015 - said: "I’m quite clear that we lost the 12 December election badly, the worst result we’ve had since 1935. We’ve got to make sure we learn the lessons of the past, and we choose somebody who’s going to get back into winning.
"We will only improve people’s lives and transform their life chances by winning elections."
Elsewhere in the interview, the former Labour frontbencher also appeared to take a swipe at Ms Nandy, who has accused the last Labour government of following Thatcherite policies.
Mr Khan said: "When I get lectured by people who talk about 13 years of a Thatcherite government, I say ‘wake up’. I get quite annoyed, angry, about that sort of analysis because it’s lazy.
"Listen, if we don’t stand up for our record, why should the public lend us their vote for the next election when we say there should be a Labour government?"
Mr Khan's comments came as Labour members and registered supporters began receiving their leadership contest ballot papers.
The new Labour leader will be announced at a special party conference on 4 April.
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