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Yvette Cooper calls for 'single unity candidate' to take on Corbyn Yvette Cooper calls for 'single unity candidate' to take on Corbyn
(35 minutes later)
Yvette Cooper has urged Labour grandees to intervene in the party’s leadership contest with a provisional ballot of MPs that could speed up the process of choosing a single candidate to take on Jeremy Corbyn.Yvette Cooper has urged Labour grandees to intervene in the party’s leadership contest with a provisional ballot of MPs that could speed up the process of choosing a single candidate to take on Jeremy Corbyn.
At a hustings session in parliament, Cooper asked both the challengers, Angela Eagle and Owen Smith, if they would be willing to stand down if they attracted fewer nominations than their opponent.At a hustings session in parliament, Cooper asked both the challengers, Angela Eagle and Owen Smith, if they would be willing to stand down if they attracted fewer nominations than their opponent.
Related: Owen Smith focuses Labour leadership campaign on tackling inequalityRelated: Owen Smith focuses Labour leadership campaign on tackling inequality
Eagle caused a laugh by joking that ”the person with the fewest nominations is Jeremy”. But she then indicated that she was not willing to stand aside, arguing that it was about “courage” and not “backroom deals”, reminding colleagues that she had the guts to trigger the contest in the first place. Eagle caused a laugh by joking that “the person with the fewest nominations is Jeremy”. But she then indicated that she was not willing to stand aside, arguing that it was about “courage” and not “backroom deals”, reminding colleagues that she had the guts to trigger the contest in the first place.
Smith replied that everyone owed a “debt of gratitude to Angela”. He conceded that he would stand aside if he has fewer nominations, but is thought to be in the lead when it comes to MPs’ support.Smith replied that everyone owed a “debt of gratitude to Angela”. He conceded that he would stand aside if he has fewer nominations, but is thought to be in the lead when it comes to MPs’ support.
Cooper’s intervention comes as the Labour party opens the two-day window for non-members to sign up as registered supporters, who, after paying a fee of £25, will be allowed to vote in expected contest. The deadline for sign-ups is Wednesday at 5pm. Cooper’s intervention comes as the Labour party opens the two-day window for non-members to sign up as registered supporters who, after paying a fee of £25, will be allowed to vote in the expected contest. The deadline for sign-ups is Wednesday at 5pm.
Cooper is understood to be hoping thatLady Smith, the Labour leader in the House of Lords, or a high-profile figure such as Neil Kinnock could broker a more informal ballot of MPs on Monday night or Tuesday morning that could then encourage one candidate to step aside, or help inform the formal nominations. Cooper is understood to be hoping that Lady Smith, the Labour leader in the House of Lords, or a high-profile figure such as Neil Kinnock could broker a more informal ballot of MPs on Monday night or Tuesday morning that could then encourage one candidate to step aside, or help inform the formal nominations.
“There is one candidate currently on the ballot with no nominations. There are two other talented candidates seeking nominations,” Cooper told her party’s MPs at the meeting. “I am worried there are too many divisions already in the party so we need a single unity candidate.”“There is one candidate currently on the ballot with no nominations. There are two other talented candidates seeking nominations,” Cooper told her party’s MPs at the meeting. “I am worried there are too many divisions already in the party so we need a single unity candidate.”
Related: Labour needs a debate that will put our party’s house in order | Angela EagleRelated: Labour needs a debate that will put our party’s house in order | Angela Eagle
Jess Phillips, the Birmingham Yardley MP, said she would only offer her vote to a candidate who was willing to step down if they attracted fewer nominations.Jess Phillips, the Birmingham Yardley MP, said she would only offer her vote to a candidate who was willing to step down if they attracted fewer nominations.
“Saving the party is the only thing that matters and the only thing that will make a difference to people in my constituency. There can only be one candidate and the both candidates should agree that they will step down if they have fewer nominations,” she said. “Saving the party is the only thing that matters and the only thing that will make a difference to people in my constituency. There can only be one candidate and both the candidates should agree that they will step down if they have fewer nominations,” she said.
It comes amid fears within the PLP that the issue is preventing MPs from focusing their attention on signing up registered supporters for £25, which is only open for two days. The Guardian understands that meetings are under way between the teams of Smith and Eagle, with some urging them to consider a joint ticket in which one runs as a shadow chancellor to the other as leader. One of them could drop out on Tuesday afternoon at 5pm, when Labour announces how many nominations have been gathered by each candidate.
A campaign called Saving Labour has been setting up street stalls in around a dozen cities and 11 London boroughs to try to persuade disenfranchised former Labour members to pay the money in order to vote against Corbyn. Their efforts have been supported by the author JK Rowling, who has retweeted supportive messages and newspaper articles linked to Saving Labour to her 7.71m followers. It has also placed newspaper adverts encourging people to sign up including in today’s Guardian. It comes amid fears within the parliamentary Labour party (PLP) that the issue is preventing MPs from focusing their attention on signing up registered supporters for £25, which is only open for two days.
Corbyn is responding by taking out a full page advert on the back page of the Guardian’s Tuesday edition, with the words: “I’d rather be fighting the Tories”, and say that he has forced the Tories back on policies such as tax credits, disability benefit cuts, and Sunday trading, and urging his backers to pay the money. A campaign called Saving Labour has been setting up street stalls in about a dozen cities and 11 London boroughs to try to persuade disenfranchised former Labour members to pay the money in order to vote against Corbyn. Their efforts have been supported by the author JK Rowling, who has retweeted supportive messages and newspaper articles linked to Saving Labour to her 7.71 million followers. It has also placed newspaper adverts encouraging people to sign up, including in Monday’s Guardian.
The grassroots movement Momentum is also mobilising its support. At the hustings both Eagle and Smith were cheered into the room, but Corbyn – who has faced a vote of no confidence from three-quarters of his MPs was met with silence. Corbyn is responding by taking out a full-page advert on the back page of the Guardian’s Tuesday edition with the words “I’d rather be fighting the Tories”, and saying that he has forced the Tories back on policies such as tax credits, disability benefit cuts and Sunday trading, and urging his backers to pay the money.
He said that he had “reached out to the PLP,” which prompted some MPs to groan. He also said that the party should be proud that under his leadership everyone had started to sign up to anti-austerity. John McDonnell, chair of Corbyn’s campaign, said: “This advert is about standing up for those people who feel they have been wrongly denied a voice in the leadership contest by the national executive committee (NEC), while at the same time encouraging more people to sign up to help us fight to keep Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader.”
The three faced a series of questions starting from the Bristol West MP Thangam Debbonaire, who asked why Labour had never had a woman leader. The grassroots movement Momentum is also mobilising its support.
Meg Hillier asked if there should be a second EU referendum while the former shadow Scotland secretary, Ian Murray, asked about policies north of the border. At the hustings both Eagle and Smith were cheered into the room, but Corbyn – who has faced a vote of no confidence from three-quarters of his MPs – was met with silence.
The candidates were also asked about the NHS and junior doctors and about how to reconnect with working classes. Keith Vaz pointed out that there were no non-white candidates, and asked what more the party could do to attract the black and minority ethnic vote, arguing that it could not be taken for granted. Corbyn spoke of the 1980s Black Sections movement, the Labour movement for African Caribbean and Asian people. He said that he had “reached out to the PLP”, which prompted some MPs to groan. He also said that the party should be proud that under his leadership everyone had started to sign up to anti-austerity.
Asked about the report into antisemitism within Labour by Shami Chakrabarti, Eagle said: “I have never known a time when antisemitism, misogyny and hatred have been so high in our party. And it should shame us.” She argued that the referendum had opened a “pandora’s box of division” . The three faced a series of questions starting from the Bristol West MP Thangam Debbonaire, who asked why Labour had never had a female leader.
Meg Hillier asked if there should be a second EU referendum, while the former shadow Scotland secretary, Ian Murray, asked about policies north of the border.
The candidates were also asked about the NHS and junior doctors, and about how to reconnect with the working classes. Keith Vaz pointed out that there were no non-white candidates, and asked what more the party could do to attract the black and minority ethnic vote, arguing that it could not be taken for granted. Corbyn spoke of the 1980s Black Sections movement, the Labour movement for African Caribbean and Asian people.
Asked about the report into antisemitism within Labour by Shami Chakrabarti, Eagle said: “I have never known a time when antisemitism, misogyny and hatred have been so high in our party. And it should shame us.” She argued that the referendum had opened a “Pandora’s box of division” .
Chris Bryant said he had seen two candidates who could lead the party and become prime minister, but said Smith would be the only one to unify the party. “Owen said there are no safe seats in Britain today, that majorities of 20,000 or more were swept away in Scotland,” he said, arguing that the party faced a stark choice.Chris Bryant said he had seen two candidates who could lead the party and become prime minister, but said Smith would be the only one to unify the party. “Owen said there are no safe seats in Britain today, that majorities of 20,000 or more were swept away in Scotland,” he said, arguing that the party faced a stark choice.
Stephen Doughty, backing Eagle, said: “It was an incredibly strong and substantial performance from Angela Eagle, which is reflective of her experience in leadership and serious roles but also her analysis of not only the economic challenges we face after the referendum but also how we reach out to working voters especially in the north of the country.” Stephen Doughty, backing Eagle, said: “It was an incredibly strong and substantial performance from Angela Eagle, which is reflective of her experience in leadership and serious roles but also her analysis of not only the economic challenges we face after the referendum but also how we reach out to working voters, especially in the north of the country.”