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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Angela Eagle launches Labour leadership bid | Angela Eagle launches Labour leadership bid |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Angela Eagle has formally launched her Labour leadership challenge against Jeremy Corbyn. | Angela Eagle has formally launched her Labour leadership challenge against Jeremy Corbyn. |
| Ex-shadow cabinet member Ms Eagle said she could provide the leadership in "dark times for Labour" that Mr Corbyn could not. | Ex-shadow cabinet member Ms Eagle said she could provide the leadership in "dark times for Labour" that Mr Corbyn could not. |
| She said she wanted to bring the party and the country "back together". | |
| Mr Corbyn has refused to step down since losing the support of most of his MPs in a vote of no confidence and numerous frontbench resignations. | Mr Corbyn has refused to step down since losing the support of most of his MPs in a vote of no confidence and numerous frontbench resignations. |
| Labour leadership election rules | |
| Launching her leadership bid, Ms Eagle said: "I would not do this if I did not think I could be a good prime minister for Britain. | Launching her leadership bid, Ms Eagle said: "I would not do this if I did not think I could be a good prime minister for Britain. |
| "These are dark times for Labour. And they are dangerous times for our country." | "These are dark times for Labour. And they are dangerous times for our country." |
| 'My own woman' | 'My own woman' |
| She said Mr Corbyn was unable to hold the government to account. | |
| "I believe I can," she said. | "I believe I can," she said. |
| "I'm not a Blairite. I'm not a Brownite. I'm not a Corbynista. I am my own woman. | "I'm not a Blairite. I'm not a Brownite. I'm not a Corbynista. I am my own woman. |
| "A strong Labour woman." | "A strong Labour woman." |
| She said the EU referendum result had left the UK "divided and uncertain". | |
| While she voted to stay in the EU, she said the vote to leave was for many "a howl of pain". | |
| "I am a person who brings people together, I don't drive them apart," she said. | |
| "I will unite, I will not divide. I can bring our party together again." | |
| Another potential leadership contender, Owen Smith, said earlier that he was to hold crisis talks with Mr Corbyn to put ideas to him about how to "avert a damaging contest" and a party split. | Another potential leadership contender, Owen Smith, said earlier that he was to hold crisis talks with Mr Corbyn to put ideas to him about how to "avert a damaging contest" and a party split. |
| Mr Corbyn has said he would not "betray" the party members who elected him last year by standing down. | |
| Labour's ruling body, the National Executive Committee, is expected to decide this week if Mr Corbyn needs backing from 51 MPs and MEPs to stand in a new leadership contest. | Labour's ruling body, the National Executive Committee, is expected to decide this week if Mr Corbyn needs backing from 51 MPs and MEPs to stand in a new leadership contest. |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Ross Hawkins, BBC political correspondent | By Ross Hawkins, BBC political correspondent |
| Jeremy Corbyn has suggested he may go to court if he's not automatically on the ballot paper in Labour's leadership election. | Jeremy Corbyn has suggested he may go to court if he's not automatically on the ballot paper in Labour's leadership election. |
| His rivals say he needs the support of a fifth of Labour MPs and MEPs to compete; he says he doesn't. | His rivals say he needs the support of a fifth of Labour MPs and MEPs to compete; he says he doesn't. |
| Two different and completely contradictory bits of legal advice have been obtained. Who's right? This is the key passage in the party rule book: | Two different and completely contradictory bits of legal advice have been obtained. Who's right? This is the key passage in the party rule book: |
| Do the words "in this case any nomination" apply only to challengers, or do they suggest the sitting leader needs the backing of MPs and MEPs too? | Do the words "in this case any nomination" apply only to challengers, or do they suggest the sitting leader needs the backing of MPs and MEPs too? |
| Mr Corbyn's opponents say there is a precedent. When Neil Kinnock - then leader - was challenged by Tony Benn in 1988 Lord Kinnock says he sought nominations. One barrister active in Labour politics - and a fierce critic of Mr Corbyn - Jolyon Maugham QC - told the Today programme the rules have changed since then and the words above do not force the current leader to find parliamentary friends. | Mr Corbyn's opponents say there is a precedent. When Neil Kinnock - then leader - was challenged by Tony Benn in 1988 Lord Kinnock says he sought nominations. One barrister active in Labour politics - and a fierce critic of Mr Corbyn - Jolyon Maugham QC - told the Today programme the rules have changed since then and the words above do not force the current leader to find parliamentary friends. |
| Don't be fooled into thinking this is just a legal dispute though; the rulebook is another battleground for a bitter political scrap. | Don't be fooled into thinking this is just a legal dispute though; the rulebook is another battleground for a bitter political scrap. |
| Labour's ruling committee, the NEC, will decide and their decision may then be challenged in court. | Labour's ruling committee, the NEC, will decide and their decision may then be challenged in court. |
| Whatever the result, the losing side in the dispute won't cheerfully accept it. Those trying to replace Mr Corbyn argue any leader who can't get the support of a 20% - just 51 - of his MPs is a pretty hopeless leader. The other side say the argument shows the Labour leader's challengers are afraid of a fair fight. | Whatever the result, the losing side in the dispute won't cheerfully accept it. Those trying to replace Mr Corbyn argue any leader who can't get the support of a 20% - just 51 - of his MPs is a pretty hopeless leader. The other side say the argument shows the Labour leader's challengers are afraid of a fair fight. |
| Mr Corbyn and his supporters claim the Labour rulebook means he will automatically be on the leadership ballot and any challenger will have to secure the names of 51 MPs and MEPs - 20% of the party's parliamentarians in Westminster and Brussels - to be nominated. | Mr Corbyn and his supporters claim the Labour rulebook means he will automatically be on the leadership ballot and any challenger will have to secure the names of 51 MPs and MEPs - 20% of the party's parliamentarians in Westminster and Brussels - to be nominated. |
| But his opponents say the document's wording means Mr Corbyn will also require the support of MPs and MEPs to stand - which, given his loss of the no confidence vote last month by Labour MPs by 172 votes to 40, means he is unlikely to be on the ballot. | But his opponents say the document's wording means Mr Corbyn will also require the support of MPs and MEPs to stand - which, given his loss of the no confidence vote last month by Labour MPs by 172 votes to 40, means he is unlikely to be on the ballot. |
| Mr Corbyn has suggested he would be willing to challenge the executive's decision in court if it went against him. | Mr Corbyn has suggested he would be willing to challenge the executive's decision in court if it went against him. |
| A long-standing member of Labour's National Executive Committee, Christine Shawcroft, told the BBC Mr Corbyn should get an automatic place on a new ballot, saying the relevant section of the rulebook refers only to "potential challengers" who must seek nominations. | A long-standing member of Labour's National Executive Committee, Christine Shawcroft, told the BBC Mr Corbyn should get an automatic place on a new ballot, saying the relevant section of the rulebook refers only to "potential challengers" who must seek nominations. |
| She said most of the NEC were "quite clear" on this interpretation and she had seen barrister advice to that effect. | She said most of the NEC were "quite clear" on this interpretation and she had seen barrister advice to that effect. |
| "There's only one reason to keep him off the ballot paper," she said. "And that's to have contempt for the views of the membership." | "There's only one reason to keep him off the ballot paper," she said. "And that's to have contempt for the views of the membership." |
| 'More dysfunction' | 'More dysfunction' |
| Shadow health secretary Diane Abbott, an ally of Mr Corbyn, said it would be "contrary to all the rules of natural justice and fairness" if he was not automatically on the ballot, saying the rules "do not prohibit" it. | Shadow health secretary Diane Abbott, an ally of Mr Corbyn, said it would be "contrary to all the rules of natural justice and fairness" if he was not automatically on the ballot, saying the rules "do not prohibit" it. |
| Describing Ms Eagle as "The Empire Strikes Back" candidate, because of her support for the 2003 Iraq war, Ms Abbott said there would be a "clear political choice" in any leadership contest. | Describing Ms Eagle as "The Empire Strikes Back" candidate, because of her support for the 2003 Iraq war, Ms Abbott said there would be a "clear political choice" in any leadership contest. |
| But Harriet Harman, former deputy Labour leader, insisted that Mr Corbyn would have to have the support of 20% of the party's MPs to get on a new ballot "because the leader needs to lead an alternative Labour government". | But Harriet Harman, former deputy Labour leader, insisted that Mr Corbyn would have to have the support of 20% of the party's MPs to get on a new ballot "because the leader needs to lead an alternative Labour government". |
| "The idea that the leader of the party, having lost the confidence of Labour MPs, then takes the national executive to court is more dysfunction upon more dysfunction, and the party is suffering." | "The idea that the leader of the party, having lost the confidence of Labour MPs, then takes the national executive to court is more dysfunction upon more dysfunction, and the party is suffering." |
| She said Mr Corbyn was not a leader, and added: "If you fail, you can't take the party down with you. That's not fair." | She said Mr Corbyn was not a leader, and added: "If you fail, you can't take the party down with you. That's not fair." |
| She said Labour had "deep problems" that were not caused by Jeremy Corbyn - citing its 2010 and 2015 general election losses - but she said he was not the leader to solve those problems. | She said Labour had "deep problems" that were not caused by Jeremy Corbyn - citing its 2010 and 2015 general election losses - but she said he was not the leader to solve those problems. |