PLP elections: Morden becomes chair as Akehurst and Singh Josan return to NEC

Labour MPs have voted for Keir Starmer’s former parliamentary private secretary Jessica Morden to be their “shop steward” as chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party, pipping fellow MP Clive Efford to the post.

Meanwhile two former Constituency Labour Party representatives on Labour’s national executive committee who stood down to become MPs at the general election will return to the party’s ruling body as parliamentary representatives.

Luke Akehurst and Gurinder Singh Josan were both selected at the last minute to run in the general election by fellow NEC members, and were elected in North Durham and Smethwick respectively.

Their election meant they were ineligible to remain on the NEC as CLP representatives, and they withdrew from the internal party ballot due this summer of ordinary party members.

But both have made a rapid return to the governing body after their fellow MPs elected the new parliamentarians to fill roles on the NEC reserved for MP representatives in a ballot on Wednesday.

READ MORE: Morden on ‘why I’m standing to be MPs’ shop steward’

The PLP ballot saw Akehurst, Singh Josan and fellow new MP, Melanie Onn, elected in Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes, take the three spots on the NEC. Onn had been an MP for the constituency before.

They had faced a challenge from the left from one other nominated candidate, Kim Johnson, MP for Liverpool Riverside.

Morden’s former role working directly for Starmer meant she had been described as the leadership’s favourite in the chair contest against Efford, who leads the Tribune group of centre-left MPs.

But Morden wrote for LabourList this week on how she would be a “strong, constructive voice for all backbenchers”, to learn lessons from the election and to help new MPs.

One source told LabourList the results had been a “convincing win”, though no breakdown has been released by the party.

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MPs also voted for further representatives on their parliamentary committee, but results have not been announced.

Akehurst posted on X about his election alongside Singh Josan and Onn, while Labour MP Mary Glindon posted congratulating Morden.

Labour was not immediately available for comment.

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