Labour leadership hopeful Lisa Nandy has won the support of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) as she battles to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.

In a boost to her campaign, the NUM said the Wigan MP was the candidate Labour needs to "regain trust with the voters we’ve lost" after its disastrous electoral defeat in December.

While the NUM has a small membership, its endorsement is highly symbolic and its decision to back Ms Nandy will come as a blow to Rebecca Long-Bailey, the left-wing favourite who is regarded as the heir apparent to Mr Corbyn.

The move comes after Sir Keir Starmer built an early lead in the contest by winning the support of Unison, the UK's largest trade union, which represents more than a million public sector workers.

Union support will be crucial to the five candidates vying for Labour's top job. Party rules say each candidate must win the support of 5 per cent of constituency parties and affiliated groups, including two trade unions, to pass the next hurdle.

Ms Nandy told the Yorkshire Post: “I represent a former coalfield community. I’m really proud of that, and I am really proud to work alongside the NUM since I was first elected.

“Former coalfields and towns are crying out for real change. Some of these areas are part of the famous red wall that fell in the last election.

"I get it. If Labour wants to be part of making that change happen, we have to go back out into our communities and fight for it.”

Chris Kitchen, the general secretary of the NUM, said: “Lisa Nandy is the leader Labour needs to rebuild the party and regain trust with the voters we’ve lost.

“Our executive was pleased the contest has so many outstanding candidates. The NUM is proud to back Lisa.

“She represents a coalfield community, she has stood with us in our fights for justice and regeneration and we are confident she’s the leader who can take Labour back into government once again.”

After Unison, there are four other big affiliated unions, including GMB, Unite, the Communications Workers Union, and Usdaw, which represents shop workers.

The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Show all 8 1 /8 The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Keir Starmer The former director of public prosecutions undoubtedly has announced that he is standing for the leadership. He is highly-regarded by both left-wingers and centrists in the party. As Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary, he played a key role in the party’s eventual backing of a second referendum. Before becoming an MP, he was a human rights lawyer - conducting cases in international courts including the European Court of Human Rights. Launching his bid, Starmer said that Labour must listen to the public on how to change "restore trust in our party as a force for good." A YouGov poll places him comfortably in the lead as the preferred candidate of 36% of party members EPA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Lisa Nandy Wigan MP Lisa Nandy has announced she wil stand for the leadership. In a letter to the Wigan Post she said she wanted to bring Labour "home" to voters in its traditional strongholds who have abandoned the party. Nandy went on to say that she understands "that we have one chance to win back the trust of people in Wigan, Workington and Wrexham." A YouGov poll shows that Nandy is the first preference for 6% of partymembers. Getty The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Rebecca Long Bailey A key ally of the current left-wing leadership of the party, the Salford & Eccles MP is viewed in some quarters as the natural successor to Mr Corbyn and describes herself as a “proud socialist”. Highly regarded by the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell. She won also won plaudits for her performance filling in for Corbyn both at prime minister’s questions and during the general election debates. The shadow business secretary grew up by Old Trafford football ground and began her working life serving at the counter of a pawn shop. Launching her leadership bid, Long Bailey said the party needs to make the positive case for immigration as a "positive force." She also broke with Corbyn over Trident, saying "If you have a deterrent you have to be prepared to use it." PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Angela Rayner - Deputy leadership Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner has joined the contest for deputy leadership of the party. After ruling herself out of running for the leadership, the Ashton-under-Lynne MP launched her bid for deputy warning that Labour faces the "biggest challenge" in its history and must "win or die." She is close with leadership contender Rebecca Long Bailey PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Rosena Allin-Khan - Deputy leadership Shadow sport minister Rosena Allin-Khan said Labour need to listen with "humility" to lost voters as she launched her bid for the deputy leadership. Writing in The Independent, the MP for Tooting refelcted: "We shouldn’t have ignored the warning signs in Scotland, and now we’ve paid the price in northern England, across the midlands and in Wales." PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Dawn Butler - Deputy leadership Shadow women and equalities secretary Dawn Butler was first to announce her bid for the deputy leadership. The Brent Central MP has served in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet since 2016 PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Ian Murray - Deputy leadership Labour's only MP in Scotland said that the architects of the party's "catastrophic failure" in the December election can not be allowed to lead the party forward PA The battle to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader Richard Burgon - Deputy leadership Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon is standing as a continuity candidate, flaunting his loyalty to Jeremy Corbyn and saying it is wrong to blame the current leader for the election defeat PA

The support of Unite, Labour's largest financial backer, is likely to be decisive. Ms Long-Bailey, the shadow business secretary, is thought to be its chosen candidate but Unite boss Len McCluskey insisted no decision had been made.

Sir Keir, the shadow Brexit secretary, has emerged as an early frontrunner in the race, with Ms Long-Bailey as his main rival, but the contest is still in its early stages.

Prominent backbencher Jess Phillips and Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, both won enough support from MPs to pass the first hurdle, setting up for a five-way contest.

The new leader will be announced at a special conference on 4 April, after being elected by Labour members.