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| Labour Party: Jennie Formby to stand down as general secretary | Labour Party: Jennie Formby to stand down as general secretary |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Jennie Formby is to stand down as the Labour Party's most senior official. | Jennie Formby is to stand down as the Labour Party's most senior official. |
| She said it was the "right time" to make way as general secretary, with the party under new leadership following Sir Keir Starmer's election last month. | She said it was the "right time" to make way as general secretary, with the party under new leadership following Sir Keir Starmer's election last month. |
| The former Unite union officer said she had taken on the role in 2018 primarily to support then leader Jeremy Corbyn. | The former Unite union officer said she had taken on the role in 2018 primarily to support then leader Jeremy Corbyn. |
| Mrs Formby, who was treated for breast cancer in 2019, said it had been a privilege to serve during what had been a "very challenging period". | Mrs Formby, who was treated for breast cancer in 2019, said it had been a privilege to serve during what had been a "very challenging period". |
| The 60-year old is at the centre of a row over the leak of an internal review into anti-Semitism in Labour's ranks. | |
| Labour's National Executive Committee has appointed barrister Martin Forde QC to lead an investigation into the leaking of the report. | |
| The BBC's political correspondent Iain Watson said Mrs Formby's departure meant the party would have a new general secretary in place when this inquiry concludes this summer and also when an investigation by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission into Labour's culture and disciplinary processes is completed. | |
| He suggested Sir Keir, whose allies now control Labour's ruling body, would be in a position to "get whoever he wants" in the job. | |
| In a statement, Mrs Formby - who previously worked as political director for the Unite union and a regional branch secretary - thanked all those who had supported her. | |
| "When I applied for the role of general secretary in 2018 it was because I wanted to support Jeremy Corbyn, who inspired so many people to get involved in politics with his message of hope, equality and peace," she said. | |
| "Now we have a new leadership team it is the right time to step down." | |
| Sir Keir thanked Mrs Formby for the commitment and energy she had shown in helping steer Labour through a period of "political upheaval" while deputy leader Angela Rayner said she had "blazed a trail" for women in the Labour movement. | |
| Labour's ruling body, the NEC, will meet soon to discuss a timetable to choose her successor. | Labour's ruling body, the NEC, will meet soon to discuss a timetable to choose her successor. |