Socialist Health Association nominates Starmer and Rayner

The Socialist Health Association has nominated Keir Starmer to be the next leader of the Labour Party, and Angela Rayner in the deputy leadership race.

The Labour-affiliated socialist society conducted a ballot to reach its nomination decision. 325 votes were cast plus one ballot paper was spoilt, producing the following results:

Leader:

• Keir Starmer – 163 total votes
• Rebecca Long-Bailey – 120
• Lisa Nandy – 45
• Emily Thornberry – 11

Deputy leader:

• Angela Rayner – 128 total votes
• Richard Burgon – 95
• Rosena Allin-Khan – 55
• Ian Murray – 39
• Dawn Butler – 32

In 2015, the organisation supported the candidacy of Jeremy Corbyn, while in 2016 it backed his challenger Owen Smith.

Starmer and Rayner have already secured their places on the final ballot through both the support of affiliates, including large trade union UNISON, and the backing of local Labour parties.

To reach the ballot paper, each candidate must be nominated by 5% of local parties or three affiliates, two of which must be trade unions, amounting to more than 5% of the total affiliate membership.

Starmer has been nominated by a total of 154 constituency parties so far, as well as UNISON, Usdaw, SERA, Community, Labour Movement for Europe and Labour Business.

Rayner has received the support of 159 local parties, in addition to the affiliate backing of UNISON, NUM, Usdaw, GMB, Community, CWU and Labour Business.

Leadership candidates Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy have also secured their places on the ballot. Emily Thornberry needs the support of 21 more local parties.

In the deputy race, Dawn Butler has received enough local party nominations for a place on the ballot while Richard Burgon has made it on with the backing of BFAWU, Unite and the FBU.

The Socialist Health Association is a campaigning organisation that says it stands for “the application of socialist principles to society and government”.

The group was founded in 1930 to campaign with the Labour Party for the creation of the NHS and now has around 1,000 members across the UK.