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Labour leadership hopefuls make pitches to parliamentary party - live news Labour leadership hopefuls make pitches to parliamentary party - live news
(32 minutes later)
Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happenRolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen
I think it’s safe to say Tom Copley, a London Assembly member, is part of Team Nandy:
Chris Bryant, already declared as a Phillips supporter, is raving about her “impressive” performance:
Seb Dance, an MEP for London, has tweeted that the hustings at least showed that the party’s potential leaders were under no false illusions about the size of the task facing them and that they could provide a “credible opposition”:
Gareth Thomas, MP for Harrow West, also felt that all six contenders acquitted themselves well:
ITV political correspondent Paul Brand tweeted that “a lot of wavering MPs leaning towards Keir Starmer tonight after the hustings. But Lisa Nandy also said to have performed well. None of the candidates had a shocker.”
To judge by social media reaction from those in the room and journalists talking to them, Lisa Nandy – who was predicted by YouGov’s poll of Labour party members to be the first candidate to leave the race – has had a good night at the leadership hustings.To judge by social media reaction from those in the room and journalists talking to them, Lisa Nandy – who was predicted by YouGov’s poll of Labour party members to be the first candidate to leave the race – has had a good night at the leadership hustings.
Peter Hain said colleagues told him they felt she had ‘won’:Peter Hain said colleagues told him they felt she had ‘won’:
Journalists talking to MPs, MEPs and Lords who attended reported the same. Kevin Schofield, editor of PolticsHome.com said:Journalists talking to MPs, MEPs and Lords who attended reported the same. Kevin Schofield, editor of PolticsHome.com said:
Jane Merrick, policy editor of the i paper, said that while Long Bailey, Starmer and Phillips were seen as having performed well, Nandy’s was a breakout appearance:Jane Merrick, policy editor of the i paper, said that while Long Bailey, Starmer and Phillips were seen as having performed well, Nandy’s was a breakout appearance:
Paul Brand of ITV has said that both Starmer and Long Bailey impressed some undecided MPs, but pointed out that the PLP remains “less ideologically inclined to [Long Bailey] and so were a tough crowd to impress:Paul Brand of ITV has said that both Starmer and Long Bailey impressed some undecided MPs, but pointed out that the PLP remains “less ideologically inclined to [Long Bailey] and so were a tough crowd to impress:
He also tweets that Clive Lewis had a difficult night:He also tweets that Clive Lewis had a difficult night:
Some positive mood music coming out of the hustings from MPs. Darren Jones, who represents Bristol North West, tweeted about the virtues of the candidates before nailing his colours to Jess Phillips’ mast. His name wasn’t on the list we referred to here so that suggests a gain for Phillips from the hustings:Some positive mood music coming out of the hustings from MPs. Darren Jones, who represents Bristol North West, tweeted about the virtues of the candidates before nailing his colours to Jess Phillips’ mast. His name wasn’t on the list we referred to here so that suggests a gain for Phillips from the hustings:
Stephen Kinnock, the Labour MP for Aberavon and son of the former leader Neil, has already come out for Nandy and is singing her praises on Twitter: “Lisa Nandy nails it in PLP hustings: a plan for empowering local communities (based on her Centre for Towns); clear on how to re-build trust & support in our heartlands; courage to make tough choices on policy priorities. Bold, inspiring and crystal clear. #WeWinTogether”.Stephen Kinnock, the Labour MP for Aberavon and son of the former leader Neil, has already come out for Nandy and is singing her praises on Twitter: “Lisa Nandy nails it in PLP hustings: a plan for empowering local communities (based on her Centre for Towns); clear on how to re-build trust & support in our heartlands; courage to make tough choices on policy priorities. Bold, inspiring and crystal clear. #WeWinTogether”.
Nandy is saying that the party must sing the praises of its local councils where there are successes taking place: “Let’s tell the stories about what Preston council is doing rebuild the economy, how Plymouth is providing clean energy, how Luton is building homes. Let’s show the difference Labour councillors and Labour in power make.”Nandy is saying that the party must sing the praises of its local councils where there are successes taking place: “Let’s tell the stories about what Preston council is doing rebuild the economy, how Plymouth is providing clean energy, how Luton is building homes. Let’s show the difference Labour councillors and Labour in power make.”
Adam Payne of Business Insider says that Starmer, Nandy and Phillips have been the most impressive so far of the six candidates:Adam Payne of Business Insider says that Starmer, Nandy and Phillips have been the most impressive so far of the six candidates:
Jack McConnell, a Labour lord who was first minister of Scotland between 2001 and 2007, sounds like he’s had his mind made up by Lisa Nandy’s pitch tonight:Jack McConnell, a Labour lord who was first minister of Scotland between 2001 and 2007, sounds like he’s had his mind made up by Lisa Nandy’s pitch tonight:
Jess Philips has given a strong message on antisemitism, saying: “Jewish people were afraid of us governing”, and that she can be “trusted to fight antisemitism and bullying and harassment”.Jess Philips has given a strong message on antisemitism, saying: “Jewish people were afraid of us governing”, and that she can be “trusted to fight antisemitism and bullying and harassment”.
Peter Hain makes the good point that, as chair of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East, Lisa Nandy’s strong message on antisemitism has considerable resonance:Peter Hain makes the good point that, as chair of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East, Lisa Nandy’s strong message on antisemitism has considerable resonance:
A half-time verdict if you will from inside the room courtesy of Alexandra Rogers:
According to Harpin, Lisa Nandy has said that there was a “collective leadership failure to acknowledge anitsemitism crisis” and says that party must “accept the Equality and Human Rights Commission in full and emphasises listening to Jewish community”. In an apparent attack on Rebecca Long Bailey, Nandy says “people on this stage” didn’t agree with International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism.
Lee Harpin of the Jewish Chronicle tweets that Emily Thornberry has backed her rival Keir Starmer over being willing to raise the issue of antisemitism at shadow cabinet meetings:
The hustings has turned to the issue of antisemitism, which has bedevilled the party over the last few years. Andrew Adonis notes that: “Keir Starmer the strongest answer in the PLP hustings – ‘the job of leaders is to lead & on antisemitism I wouldn’t leave it to someone else but take personal responsibility for dealing with it, every day’.”
Although seen as a centrist option, Keir Starmer has made a string emotional appeal to the party’s traditional bonds to unions and other organisations that he worked for in his career as a barrister. Alexandra Rogers tweets that he earlier backed Labour’s union links:
As we reported earlier, Jess Phillips is doubling down on her ability to challenge Boris Johnson as a different sort of politician: “Yes I would be a different kind of leader, no doubt about it. But anyone who ever fought a marginal seat knows that playing it safe doesn’t win, sometimes you have to close your eyes and be bold. I am the bold choice, its going to take bold to beat Boris Johnson.”
Asked about the disconnect between the party and previously solid areas such as Wales, where the party lost seats in December, Lisa Nandy says: “We need to tell the stories of Labour’s success in power and show we are relevant in people’s lives – but in Rhyl they feel just as distant from Cardiff as they do from Westminster. We need to empower people and communities.”
Keir Starmer also went down well in the room. The Independent’s Lizzy Buchan wrote that:
The BBC’s Iain Watson tweets that Starmer stressed the need for the party to become an effective opposition to the Tories:
Lisa Nandy’s pitch to the party has gone down well. Paul Waugh tweets that:
And Labour veteran Peter Hain said:
Paul Waugh, executive editor of Huffington Post, reports that deputy leadership hopeful Richard Burgon arrived at the hustings flanked by the shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, newly elected MP Claudia Webbe and Nav Mishra, MP for Stockport who was elected in December. His hustings for deputy aren’t until tomorrow.