Emily Thornberry eliminated from Labour leadership race as contest enters final stage
3 min read
Emily Thornberry has been eliminated from the Labour leadership race after failing to secure enough nominations from local party branches and affiliated groups.
The Shadow Foreign Secretary was unable to win support from the required 33 constituency Labour parties to take her through to the final round of the contest.
Labour Party rules dictate that to make it onto the members’ ballot, candidates should have the backing of 33 CLPs or at least three groups affiliated with the party.
Ms Thornberry had not received nominations from any affiliated groups, but, with nominations from 30 local parties at the beginning of the day, was hoping to reach the required threshold.
She received the backing of Cardiff North, taking her final tally to 31, but was unable to secure any additional nominations by the Friday evening deadline.
Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy are now in a three-way race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn, after they all received enough nominations to make it onto the final ballot.
Ms Thornberry tweeted last night: “I’m proud that I was the only candidate to secure nominations from all four nations of the UK, and I’m delighted to have made new friends around the country, and met so many dedicated campaigners, who may be deflated by the election result, but are determined to fight back.
“It was on their behalf that I stood for the leadership, because I’ve always believed we are at our best when – from the dispatch box to the doorstep – we are one, united fighting force, taking on the Tories, and standing up for the communities we represent.”
She continued: “I want to wish Rebecca, Lisa and Keir good luck for the rest of a gruelling campaign. They are three excellent candidates, representing the best of our party, and whoever emerges as the winner, I am sure they will take our party forward, and will do so with my unstinting support.”
MEMBERS' BALLOT
The remaining candidates will increase their campaigning efforts over the coming weeks, and will get access to the party’s membership data this weekend.
The names and phone numbers of members will be given to the candidates by 5pm today, but the party has come under fire for charging candidates up to £5,000 for the information.
Mr Starmer will enter the final stage of the contest as the frontrunner, after he won the backing of 374 CLPs and trade unions including UNISION, the largest in the country.
Ms Long-Bailey received the support of 164 local parties and trade unions such as Unite, while Ms Nandy was backed by 72 CLPs and groups like the National Union of Mineworkers.
Labour Party members will vote for their favourite candidate between 24 February and 2 April, with the result announced on 4 April.
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