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Labour leadership: Owen Smith intends to run in contest | Labour leadership: Owen Smith intends to run in contest |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Former shadow cabinet member Owen Smith will announce his intention to stand for the Labour leadership later. | Former shadow cabinet member Owen Smith will announce his intention to stand for the Labour leadership later. |
The Pontypridd MP, who resigned as shadow work and pensions secretary last month, will join Angela Eagle in challenging Jeremy Corbyn. | The Pontypridd MP, who resigned as shadow work and pensions secretary last month, will join Angela Eagle in challenging Jeremy Corbyn. |
On Tuesday, Labour's National Executive Committee ruled Mr Corbyn should automatically be included in the contest - a decision Mr Smith supports. | On Tuesday, Labour's National Executive Committee ruled Mr Corbyn should automatically be included in the contest - a decision Mr Smith supports. |
Opponents of Mr Corbyn argued he needed the support of 51 MPs or MEPs to stand. | Opponents of Mr Corbyn argued he needed the support of 51 MPs or MEPs to stand. |
However, the NEC voted 18-14 in favour of the Labour leader's inclusion on the ballot, following hours of talks. | However, the NEC voted 18-14 in favour of the Labour leader's inclusion on the ballot, following hours of talks. |
Mr Smith will announce his intention to stand once he has spoken to Labour members in his south Wales constituency. | Mr Smith will announce his intention to stand once he has spoken to Labour members in his south Wales constituency. |
He has met Mr Corbyn several times in the past two weeks but failed to convince him to step aside and avoid a potentially bruising leadership contest. | He has met Mr Corbyn several times in the past two weeks but failed to convince him to step aside and avoid a potentially bruising leadership contest. |
Mr Corbyn was elected leader in a vote of grassroots members last year, but has been hit by a host of shadow cabinet resignations and a vote of no confidence among Labour MPs. | Mr Corbyn was elected leader in a vote of grassroots members last year, but has been hit by a host of shadow cabinet resignations and a vote of no confidence among Labour MPs. |
He has pledged to campaign "on all the things that matter", saying anyone within the party with disagreements should "come and talk about it". | He has pledged to campaign "on all the things that matter", saying anyone within the party with disagreements should "come and talk about it". |
The Labour Party said the timetable for the contest will be published on Thursday. | The Labour Party said the timetable for the contest will be published on Thursday. |
Mr Smith told the BBC he agreed with the NEC's decision, saying Labour Party members, and not MPs, should decide who leads them. | Mr Smith told the BBC he agreed with the NEC's decision, saying Labour Party members, and not MPs, should decide who leads them. |
On Monday, Mr Smith had said he was considering a leadership bid, as he wanted to do "whatever it takes to stop our party being destroyed". | On Monday, Mr Smith had said he was considering a leadership bid, as he wanted to do "whatever it takes to stop our party being destroyed". |
Analysis | Analysis |
Iain Watson, BBC political correspondent | Iain Watson, BBC political correspondent |
Owen Smith had been mulling over a leadership challenge, but initially he put his efforts into trying to persuade Jeremy Corbyn to move to a different role because, in Mr Smith's view, he quite simply wasn't seen as a potential prime minister. | Owen Smith had been mulling over a leadership challenge, but initially he put his efforts into trying to persuade Jeremy Corbyn to move to a different role because, in Mr Smith's view, he quite simply wasn't seen as a potential prime minister. |
When it was clear the current leader was digging in, the former shadow work and pensions secretary canvassed support for a challenge. | When it was clear the current leader was digging in, the former shadow work and pensions secretary canvassed support for a challenge. |
Angela Eagle was first out of the traps and has argued that it is time that Labour - a party of equality - elected its first female leader. | Angela Eagle was first out of the traps and has argued that it is time that Labour - a party of equality - elected its first female leader. |
Mr Smith will position himself to Angela Eagle's left, stressing support for Mr Corbyn's anti-austerity policies, and believes this enables him to appeal to an apparently radical membership. | Mr Smith will position himself to Angela Eagle's left, stressing support for Mr Corbyn's anti-austerity policies, and believes this enables him to appeal to an apparently radical membership. |
But if the anti-Corbyn forces are split, that will boost the prospects of a leader whom both Mr Smith and Ms Eagle regard as unelectable. | But if the anti-Corbyn forces are split, that will boost the prospects of a leader whom both Mr Smith and Ms Eagle regard as unelectable. |
So it remains to be seen if they can reconcile any differences and agree on a single challenger. | So it remains to be seen if they can reconcile any differences and agree on a single challenger. |
Speaking on the BBC's Newsnight on Tuesday, Ms Eagle urged Labour voters to sign up to become registered Labour supporters - a one-off status that gives them a vote, if they pay £25 - during a two-day window next week. | Speaking on the BBC's Newsnight on Tuesday, Ms Eagle urged Labour voters to sign up to become registered Labour supporters - a one-off status that gives them a vote, if they pay £25 - during a two-day window next week. |
She said: "I would say to the nine million Labour voters out there, there's two days next week when you can actually pay £25, help save the Labour Party, make our democracy work, and help me heal our country." | She said: "I would say to the nine million Labour voters out there, there's two days next week when you can actually pay £25, help save the Labour Party, make our democracy work, and help me heal our country." |
She added: "Join us in this battle, let us win the Labour Party back." | She added: "Join us in this battle, let us win the Labour Party back." |
Ms Eagle said Labour had been created to "be the voice of working people in Parliament" and to do that "you have to be effective in Parliament". | Ms Eagle said Labour had been created to "be the voice of working people in Parliament" and to do that "you have to be effective in Parliament". |
She said she had "tried" to work with Mr Corbyn for nine months, but added that he "cannot lead in Parliament". | She said she had "tried" to work with Mr Corbyn for nine months, but added that he "cannot lead in Parliament". |
Profile: Owen Smith | Profile: Owen Smith |
The Labour leadership challenge follows the collapse of union-led peace talks last weekend. | The Labour leadership challenge follows the collapse of union-led peace talks last weekend. |
Labour Party members need to have signed up on or before 12 January to be eligible to vote in the leadership contest. | Labour Party members need to have signed up on or before 12 January to be eligible to vote in the leadership contest. |
Registered supporter status - which gives people a one-off vote if they pay a fee - will cost £25 this time, instead of £3 in the run-up to last September's vote, which Mr Corbyn won. | Registered supporter status - which gives people a one-off vote if they pay a fee - will cost £25 this time, instead of £3 in the run-up to last September's vote, which Mr Corbyn won. |