Ms Long-Bailey has been tipped as the favorite to replace the outgoingJeremy Corbyn, who will quit the party over the coming weeks after leading theLabor Partyto its worst general election performance since 1935. The Shadow Business Secretary is one of a new generation of MPs on the left of the party, and is a close ally of Mr Corbyn, as well as outgoing Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell. She was chosen to represent Labor in a live television debate during the general election campaign, and also spearheaded the party’s plans for a green jobs revolution.
But according to the Sunday Times, doubts over Ms Long-Bailey’s candidacy emerged at a meeting in the Parliamentary office of Mr McDonnell six days after the general election.
A source told the newspaper: “She’s hardly a hero of our movement.
“ It would be a betrayal of Corbynism if we accepted her as a shoo-in and we are just not sure she can win. “
Another said:“ It wasn’t bitter . The concern is we just don’t know anything about her. ”
Labor Party leader: Sir Keir Starmer is the favorite after doubts arose ab out Rebecca Long-Bailey(Image: PA / GETTY)
Labor Party leader: Sir Keir Starmer has reportedly won the support of dozens of MPs(Image: PA)
********** Sir Keir now appears to be the front runner in the race to become the next Labor leader, and according to the Sunday Times, has already won the support of dozens of MPs, with 21 required to make it on to the ballot paper.
One MP told the newspaper his rival for the pro-EU vote – Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry – had been attempting to ramp up support for her leadership challenge over recent d ays, but that it was falling on deaf ears.
They said: “Thornberry called and texted several times.
“I had to pick up out of politeness, but for me it was always going to be Keir.
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Labor Party leader: Jeremy Corbyn suffered a crushing defeat in the general election(Image: REUTERS)
“Her tone bordered on passive-aggressive. I think she is desperate. ”
Other potential rivals who have already declared their interest in running for the Labor leadership include Shadow Treasury Minister Clive Lewis.
Ian Lavery, the former miner and pro-Brexit chairman of the party, has told friends he may run for the leadership but is waiting until Ms Long- Bailey sets out her vision first.
But Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner has ruled herself out of the running, and is instead throwing her support behind Ms Long -Bailey.
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Labor Party leader: Rebecca Long-Bailey had been tipped to replace Jeremy Corbyn(Image: GETTY)
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Former defeated Labor MPs have also called for “fundamental change” at the top of the party in the wake of its humiliating general election defeat.
In a letter to The Observer, the strong group have called for an “unflinching” review into what led to Laborer’s election loss.
The letter said: “We have been horrified by the damage that Tory government austerity has wreaked in our communities, crippling our NHS, starving our struggling schools and transport networks, normalizing street sleeping and failing to keep our streets safe.
“Yet sadly, when it came to polling day, Labor was led to its biggest defeat since
Labor Party leaders: Many voters want a clean break from Jeremy Corbyn’s agenda, according to a poll(Image: EXPRESS)
“We lost seats in every region and nation with a swing against us in every social class – with the biggest swing against us from the poorest people. ”
A recent BMG poll for the Independent also revealed traditional labor voters want a decisive break from Mr Corbyn’s agenda.
The survey of 1, (UK adults from December 21 – 21 found almost half of voters believe labor. should ditch its current plan to focus on tax rises on the richest five percent of the British population, with just over a quarter ( (percent) in favor of keeping the policy.
Just under half (percent) want Labor to get rid of its policies on public spending and nationalization, while in both cases, close to a third did not.
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