Labour figures react to the election of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour’s new leader

This lunchtime Jeremy Corbyn was elected leader of the Labour party, with a landslide victory. He gained 59.5% in the first round of voting. Tom Watson was elected deputy leader with 50.7% of the vote in the third round. LabourList have put together a number of reactions from our contributors and senior Labour party figures.

Emma Burnell, LabourList contributing editor: That wasn’t a win, it was a demolition. Whoever you voted for, whoever you supported, acknowledging that has to be your first step. Jeremy Corbyn is the leader with an overwhelming victory in every category. Now he has to lead. The other candidates have been roundly defeated and they and their supporters in and out of the PLP have to now understand why.

No one thinks this is going to be easy. There is no easy course to victory for the Labour Party and there never has been. Jeremy will face vitriol unlike that even Ed Miliband faced. But with a mandate such as he has, it will be in incumbent on us all to make it work.

But now we need to start that struggle. Stop talking to ourselves and start making our case to the country.

Andrew Harrop, general secretary of the Fabian Society: “The Fabian Society congratulates Jeremy Corbyn on a famous victory, which now gives him a mandate to test a different path for Labour. For the party to become relevant and electable he must seek out challenging new ideas, not hark back to the rigid certainties of the 1980s. Labour must face the future.

In a little over four months the mainstream of the Labour Party has suffered two extraordinary election defeats. In May it was rejected by the country, and today it has been spurned by its own members and supporters. All those in the Labour family who did not support Mr Corbyn must now reflect on these twin failures with humility and make a deep commitment to rebuild, reach out and reconnect.

115 years ago the Fabian Society helped found the Labour Party to bring radical change to Britain. That is only possible when Labour is able to challenge the orthodoxy of the times but also secure the democratic support of the British people and find practical answers that work. Principles are nothing without well-evidenced solutions. Ideological purity is nothing without power.

Members of the Fabian Society voted for all four Leadership candidates and we will continue to be a space for open-minded and comradely debate across the left.  Our recent output contains a wealth of fresh thinking around which the whole party can unite.”

Kezia Dugdale, leader of Scottish Labour Leader: “Today shows politics has changed. People are calling for radical change and straight talk. Jeremy’s election shows that the party has listened to that call, and I look forward to working with him and meeting him to discuss his priorities later today.

“I have already said that I want people to take another look at the Labour Party. I want to say that again today. I hope that those who were lost to us in the past will start to listen again as both Jeremy and I put forward radical policies that we hope will win back support for Labour.

“We’ve now got the chance for a fresh start and new leadership in both Scotland and across the UK. I’ve said I want my leadership to be about shaking up the establishment in Scotland, and Jeremy wants to do the same across the UK. What people want is real change – not just in their politics, but in their lives. Today offers the chance for that change.”

Chuka Umunna, Shadow Business Secretary: “After what has seemed like an eternity, finally Labour has a new leader!

Congratulations to Jeremy Corbyn, on his election today. Obviously I’m disappointed that Liz Kendall, the candidate I supported and who fought a brave and courageous campaign, did not win. I want to pay tribute to Andy and Yvette too, who helped ensure we had a lively contest.

Congratulations as well to Tom Watson, our formidable new Deputy Leader and commiserations to Angela, Ben, Caroline & Stella who fought great campaigns.

However, now the contest is over, we must respect the result, come together and focus on providing the most credible and effective opposition to the Tories.

Some say there there has to be a trade off between principles and power, but our history tells us this isn’t true. Following in the footsteps of Attlee, Wilson and other Labour legends, we must now also work to get Labour back into office because that is the ultimate way of putting our values in to action, and that was the original intention of Keir Hardie and the party’s founders.”

Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite the Union, which endorsed Corbyn for leader: “I congratulate Jeremy Corbyn and Tom Watson on their victories today.

“Unite members were among those who took part in their thousands, enthused by the chance to engage in a genuine debate about what and who Labour stands for, and the sort of nation we want modern Britain to be.

“The Corbyn team deserves particular credit for inspiring young and old alike, for pointing the way towards how Labour can transform itself to once again be the people’s party.

“Voters can now look at Labour and see, unquestionably, that it stands for fairness, justice, peace and strong communities.  It is the party of hope, ready to take on a government hell-bent on making life worse for ordinary people.

“The task now for all of us who support Labour is to back the leadership team, to unite, to turn to face the Tories and hold them to account.  It is what the voters expect, it is the way back to power and it is the duty of those at all levels of the party to deliver.”

Others have offered their congratulations on Twitter: