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| Angela Eagle and Owen Smith close to 'single unity candidate' deal | Angela Eagle and Owen Smith close to 'single unity candidate' deal |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Angela Eagle and Owen Smith are closing in on a deal in which the MP who attracts fewer nominations in the Labour leadership contest will pull out, paving the way for a single candidate to take on Jeremy Corbyn. | Angela Eagle and Owen Smith are closing in on a deal in which the MP who attracts fewer nominations in the Labour leadership contest will pull out, paving the way for a single candidate to take on Jeremy Corbyn. |
| The Guardian understands that they could be preparing to run on a joint ticket, in which one would go forward as leader and the other take on a senior role such as shadow chancellor. | The Guardian understands that they could be preparing to run on a joint ticket, in which one would go forward as leader and the other take on a senior role such as shadow chancellor. |
| Sources revealed they have been meeting in an attempt to hammer out an agreement after coming under intense pressure from parliamentary colleagues who are desperate to avoid “friendly fire” between the candidates, and instead focus resources and energy on challenging the party leader. | Sources revealed they have been meeting in an attempt to hammer out an agreement after coming under intense pressure from parliamentary colleagues who are desperate to avoid “friendly fire” between the candidates, and instead focus resources and energy on challenging the party leader. |
| The pair have made an effort to be complimentary about each other’s talents, with both planning a campaign against Corbyn that would focus on the idea of the strength of the shadow cabinet team they could build. | The pair have made an effort to be complimentary about each other’s talents, with both planning a campaign against Corbyn that would focus on the idea of the strength of the shadow cabinet team they could build. |
| It came after Eagle, Smith and Corbyn attended a hustings of the parliamentary Labour party at which the MP Yvette Cooper asked the two challengers if they were prepared to step aside if they won lower levels of support from MPs. | It came after Eagle, Smith and Corbyn attended a hustings of the parliamentary Labour party at which the MP Yvette Cooper asked the two challengers if they were prepared to step aside if they won lower levels of support from MPs. |
| Eagle raised a laugh by saying “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”, telling colleagues she had the guts to trigger the contest in the first place. | Eagle raised a laugh by saying “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”, telling colleagues 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 had 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 had fewer nominations, but is thought to be in the lead when it comes to MPs’ support. |
| Cooper’s intervention came as the Labour party opened the two-day window for non-members to sign up as registered supporters who would be allowed to vote in the contest if they pay £25. Members who signed up after 12 January will also have to pay £25 if they want to vote. The deadline for sign-ups is Wednesday at 5pm. | Cooper’s intervention came as the Labour party opened the two-day window for non-members to sign up as registered supporters who would be allowed to vote in the contest if they pay £25. Members who signed up after 12 January will also have to pay £25 if they want to vote. The deadline for sign-ups is Wednesday at 5pm. |
| She is understood to be hoping that Angela 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. However, that will be unnecessary if the pair reach an agreement. | She is understood to be hoping that Angela 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. However, that will be unnecessary if the pair reach an agreement. |
| “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.” |
| 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 both the candidates should agree that they will step down if they have fewer nominations,” she said. | 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 both the candidates should agree that they will step down if they have fewer nominations,” she said. |
| MPs have been able to nominate the leadership candidates since 7pm on Monday, and have until 5pm on Wednesday. However, either Eagle or Smith could come under pressure to pull out on Tuesday evening after an update of the names and numbers signed up so far is published. It comes amid fears within the parliamentary Labour party (PLP) that the issue is preventing MPs from focusing their attention on signing up £25 supporters. | MPs have been able to nominate the leadership candidates since 7pm on Monday, and have until 5pm on Wednesday. However, either Eagle or Smith could come under pressure to pull out on Tuesday evening after an update of the names and numbers signed up so far is published. It comes amid fears within the parliamentary Labour party (PLP) that the issue is preventing MPs from focusing their attention on signing up £25 supporters. |
| 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 the campaign to her 7.71 million followers. It has also placed newspaper adverts encouraging people to sign up, including in Monday’s Guardian. | 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 the campaign to her 7.71 million followers. It has also placed newspaper adverts encouraging people to sign up, including in Monday’s Guardian. |
| 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 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. | 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 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. |
| Shadow chancellor John McDonnell 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, while at the same time encouraging more people to sign up to help us fight to keep Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader.” | Shadow chancellor John McDonnell 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, while at the same time encouraging more people to sign up to help us fight to keep Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader.” |
| The grassroots movement Momentum is also mobilising its support. | 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. He said he had “reached out to the PLP”, which prompted some MPs to groan. He also said the party should be proud that under his leadership everyone had started to sign up to anti-austerity. | 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. He said he had “reached out to the PLP”, which prompted some MPs to groan. He also said the party should be proud that under his leadership everyone had started to sign up to anti-austerity. |
| 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 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 said 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. | The candidates were also asked about the NHS and junior doctors, and about how to reconnect with the working classes. Keith Vaz said 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. |
| 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 said the referendum had opened a “Pandora’s box of division”. | 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 said 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.” |