ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

Labour modernisers rallied behind Jeremy Corbyn critic Lisa Nandy today as the race to find a new party leader gathered pace.

The fight to reclaim Labour from the Left wing of the party was under way as bosses set out the timetable to replace Mr Corbyn following the devastating election defeat.

Caroline Flint, who lost her seat in the former stronghold of Don Valley to the Tories, said she had not yet sided with a candidate but believed Wigan MP Ms Nandy was someone to “watch out for”.

She told Good Morning Britain: “We need somebody who can lead our party in the right direction. We’ve had too much of the cult of the personality to be honest for some time.

“I do think it should be someone north of the Watford Gap, who understands where Remain voters were coming from, but importantly Leave voters.”

MP Stephen Kinnock called for a “clean break from the disaster of the last four years” and recommended Ms Nandy and Birmingham Yardley MP Jess Phillips.

He blamed Mr Corbyn’s “weak and incompetent” leadership for the defeat, adding: “Also the utter failure to apologise for anti-Semitism was deeply damaging.”

He said the first step for the party was to reconnect with the working class in their traditional heartlands, adding: “They’ve lent their votes to the Tories. We can win those votes back but only if we can answer the questions they are posing.”

Former frontbencher Ms Nandy has admitted she is “seriously thinking” about running for the leadership.

Senior figures in the current leadership have given their backing to shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey.

Others said to be readying to run include Dawn Butler, David Lammy, Emily Thornberry, Sir Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner.

Alison McGovern MP, the chair of Progress, which was founded to support New Labour, told the BBC she was undecided but added: “Winning elections is the thing that the Labour Party is for. That is where our focus has to be now... We need to move on.”

Ilford North MP Wes Streeting, former deputy leader Harriet Harman and Mitcham and Morden MP Siobhain McDonagh have all called on Mr Corbyn to step down.

The Labour leader has said he will depart in the early part of next year after overseeing a “process of reflection” within the party.

Labour’s general secretary Jennie Formby has reportedly written to the party’s ruling National Executive Committee recommending the contest starts on January 7, with the view of having a new leader by the end of March.