The Labour leadership election is entering the final stages, after the public member vote opened on Monday.
The three remaining candidates are Sir Keir Starmer, Lisa Nandy and Rebecca Long-Bailey, with Starmer the favourite after leading the way during the CLP (Constituency Labour Party) voting stage.
After some big losses in December’s election, Labour managed to return 22 Welsh MPs to Westminster, but who do they want to replace Jeremy Corbyn as leader?
Sir Keir Starmer has been the MP for Holborn and St Pancras since being elected back in May 2015.
Labour’s spokesman for Brexit is leading the way when it comes to support from fellow MPs, with seventeen of the twenty Welsh Labour contingent supporting Starmer.
Alyn and Deeside – Mark Tami
Blaenau Gwent – Nick Smith
Caerphilly – Wayne David
Cardiff Central – Jo Stevens
Cardiff North – Anna Mcmorrin
Cardiff South and Penarth – Stephen Doughty
Islwyn – Chris Evans
Llanelli – Nia Griffith
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney – Gerald Jones
Neath – Christina Rees
Newport East – Jessica Morden
Ogmore – Chris Elmore
Pontypridd – Alex Davies-Jones
Rhondda – Chris Bryant
Swansea East – Carolyn Harris
Swansea West – Geraint Davies
Torfaen – Nick Thomas-Symonds
Speaking on the Atrium Live programme last week, Cardiff Central MP Jo Stevens said that Keir Starmer was the ‘standout candidate’.
“He is the best candidate to bring the party together after a very divisive few years.
“He has the respect of the membership, and more importantly, of the wider public. People feel confident in him and they feel that they can trust him.”
Alex Davies-Jones, MP for Pontypridd, supported Emily Thornberry before she failed to reach the required threshold of CLP nominations, but now says that she will be backing Sir Keir.
“I think his vision and passion, especially for Wales when he talks about federalism and the future of the UK, really resonates with me as a Welsh MP.”
Lisa Nandy has been the MP for Wigan since 2010, and has held several cabinet positions including shadow energy secretary, before her resignation in 2016 in protest against Jeremy Corbyn.
Nandy is, along with Rebecca Long-Bailey, battling to become the first female Labour party leader, and has gathered the support of four of Wales’ MPs.
Aberavon – Stephen Kinnock
Newport West – Ruth Jones
Gower – Tonia Antoniazzi
Cardiff West – Kevin Brennan
Kevin Brennan told Atrium News last week that Nandy ‘represents the future of the party’.
“I think Lisa is an extraordinary and exceptional person and would be a great leader of the party. In my view she is the answer to the question that we face in four and a half years’ time at the next election… she is the kind of person we need to take on Boris.”
Rebecca Long-Bailey began her career as an MP in 2015 when she was elected for Salford and Eccles, and has also served as shadow treasury minister, and more recently, as shadow business secretary.
Long-Bailey was one of 35 MPs who supported current leader Jeremy Corbyn to become leader back in 2015, and has continued that support for him, deputising for him during a leadership debate at the end of last year.
Only Cynon Valley’s Beth Winter has publicly expressed support for Long-Bailey, saying in a tweet,
“She is committed to tackling inequality, democratising our party and promoting a Green Industrial Revolution.”
Voting for Labour Party members remains open until the 2nd of April, with the result likely to be announced two days later at a special party conference.
The conference will also see the Deputy Leader announced, with the role also up for grabs after Tom Watson stood down after the election.
Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner, shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon, shadow equalities minister Dawn Butler, Scotland’s last remaining Labour MP Ian Murray and Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan are all in the running.
By Dan Moffat.