5 leadership and 5 deputy candidates through to next stage of contests

Five leadership and five deputy leadership candidates have won the required support from their parliamentary colleagues to enter the next stage of Labour’s two election processes.

The contenders had until 2.30pm this afternoon to secure at least 22 nominations from Labour MPs and MEPs in order to progress to the second round of the contests.

Keir Starmer emerged as the clear frontrunner at the end of the first round with 88 nominations. Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy gained 33 and 31 respectively. Jess Phillips secured 23.

Emily Thornberry only just scraped through the initial phase of the race in the last hour, eventually winning 23 MP and MEP nominations including from colleagues such as Nadia Whittome and Alex Sobel who lent their support.

Clive Lewis withdrew from the leadership contest 45 minutes before the deadline. He issued a statement that said he was doing so “in the spirit of pluralism, diversity and generosity”.

The four MPs who had nominated Lewis were then able to recast their nomination papers in favour of different leadership candidates, and Thornberry in particular benefitted.

Angela Rayner came out ahead in the nomination process for deputy leader, and the next closest candidate was Labour’s only Scottish MP Ian Murray, a vocal Corbynsceptic.

Dawn Butler, Rosena Allin-Khan and Richard Burgon also all secured enough support to enter the next stage. Khalid Mahmood had already withdrawn from the race.

The ten candidates are not yet guaranteed a place on the final ballot paper. They must first secure either 5% of local parties – a total of 33 – or three affiliated organisations including two trade unions adding up to 5% of the affiliated membership.

The second stage of the leadership contests begin on Wednesday, January 15th. Contenders will have until Friday, February 14th, to secure nominations either via the CLP route or the affiliates path.