Stella Creasy confirms she will run for deputy leader

Stella Creasy has confirmed she will run in the deputy leadership race this evening. After speaking at the Progress annual conference earlier, she has made her intentions clear on Twitter.

Creasy is the fourth confirmed candidate in the race, with Tom Watson, Ben Bradshaw and Caroline Flint all having formally declared already. The Walthamstow MP had hinted at a bid on Newsnight earlier this week, and her confirmation means that, as things stand, there will be more women candidates than men in both leader and deputy leadership contests. However, there is still plenty of time for others to step forward, with Tristram Hunt, Angela Eagle and Simon Danczuk weighing up their options for the leader deputy roles.

Creasy became an MP in 2010 and has played a part in campaigns against pay day lenders and unpaid internships.

UPDATE: Creasy has written a piece about her candidacy for tomorrow’s Sunday Mirror. In it she says:

“Today I am standing to be deputy leader of the Labour party to help restore that fire and faith in our party.

This is about more than 650 people in Westminster – Labour has always been able to achieve change from the grassroots up, not just on the green benches of parliament.

Too many people now see politics as an elite sport, for the few not the many. That means we miss out on their ideas and actions as they get put off taking part. I want to change that.

Our members are our best asset. They are people who believe fairness, prosperity and opportunity is open to all, not just those with the money or means to buy success. And the people who are willing to stand up and defend this principle in their own communities.”