Gordon Brown endorses Keir Starmer to be the next Labour leader

The former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown has endorsed Keir Starmer in his bid to become the next leader of the party.

In a video message released today, Brown said that while all the leadership candidates were “worthy”, Starmer had “all the qualifications that are necessary”.

He described Starmer as the only one “with the expertise, with the eloquence, with the dedication, with the commitment and indeed with the values” to get Labour into power.

Brown spoke about the Tory record in government, and declared that the country “needs a Labour Party with a vision of what can be achieved in the new world of the 2020s”.

The former Labour leader echoed Starmer’s emphasis on the importance of unity – citing examples of “massive achievements”, such as the creation of the NHS, made by a unified Labour Party.

Commenting on the ongoing leadership race, Brown said: “We have three worthy candidates in the election for Labour leader. Rebecca Long-Bailey has emphasised the importance of a green new deal. Lisa Nandy has talked rightly about the importance of empowering our communities.

“But there is one candidate with the expertise, with the eloquence, with the dedication, with the commitment and indeed with the values that are necessary for Labour to return to power.

“Keir Starmer has all the qualifications that are necessary for a Prime Minister of the future. A vote for Keir Starmer is a vote for hope. It’s a vote for the future. It’s a vote for the values that all of us believe in deeply. Join Keir Starmer and let’s elect a Labour government.”

Brown became Prime Minister in 2007. He stood down as party leader after losing the 2010 election, in which Labour won just 29% of the vote and lost 97 seats.

He is also backing Ian Murray to be the next deputy leader of the Labour Party – alongside Alistair Darling, Roy Hattersley and Tony Blair.

Starmer is currently considered the frontrunner in the contest to succeed Jeremy Corbyn and the latest polling has him winning the competition decisively.

The same polling revealed that 79% of members think that the Camden MP will move Labour “further to the centre” if elected as leader.

Voting in the election began on February 24th and ballots close on April 2nd. The result will be announced at a special conference on April 4th.