News

Labour Leadership Election News

Rebecca Long-Bailey is backed by Momentum, but Keir Starmer has more support from party members.

  • Keir Starmer has been nominated by eleven constituency parties, one trade union (Unison) and one affiliate (environmental group SERA).
  • Rebecca Long-Bailey has won the support of Momentum, although the far-left pressure group founded to support outgoing leader Jeremy Corbyn only gave its roughly 40,000 members the choice between endorsing and not endorsing her.
  • Long-Bailey has also been nominated by three local parties and one affiliated trade union.
  • Lisa Nandy has been nominated by one trade union.
  • Jess Phillips and Emily Thornberry have yet to receive any nominations.

The rules

Candidates need the support of 33 local parties, representing 5 percent of parliamentary constituencies, or three affiliates, of which two must be unions, representing at least 5 percent of the affiliate membership, to qualify for the final voting round by members.

Non-union affiliates include Labour Business, the Labour Women’s Network, LGBT Labour and the Jewish Labour Movement. The socialist Fabian Society will not be making an endorsement.

The deadline to join the Labor Party or one of its affiliates is Monday, January 20. People who join later will not be eligible to vote.

The polls

  • Starmer leads with 46 to 32 percent support for Long-Bailey, according to YouGov. In the runoff, Starmer would defeat Long-Bailey 63-37 percent.
  • Long-Bailey places first in a survey (PDF) by LabourList, but they only polled their own readers, who are more likely to be Corbyn loyalists.

What’s next?

  • February 14: Deadline for constituency parties and affiliates to make nominations.
  • February 21-April 2: Party members, affiliate members and registered supporters vote by mail.
  • April 4: Winner announced.