Representation – or lack of – is an ever present issue in politics. Labour’s leadership contest has been lauded for having more women candidates than men (the party has yet to have a female leader), though a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic candidate is entirely absent from the list.

Now a group of Young Labour Members have expressed their concern that there might not be anyone on either the leader or deputy leader ballot who represents Southern and Eastern England. They have published an open letter urging the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) to ensure that this isn’t the case by making sure a candidate who does represent this region has enough nominations (35) to remain in the race.

Ben Bradshaw who is standing be deputy leader – and who is the MP for Exeter – is the only person in the running at the moment who represents this region. But the 45 signatories have stressed that this isn’t an exclusive endorsement for him.

Rather, they say they want to make sure the whole country is properly represented in the elections – particularly given how poorly Labour performed in this area of the country.

Here’s the letter in full:

Dear Members of the Parliamentary Labour Party,

We write to you as members and representatives of Young Labour, Labour Students, and affiliated Trade Unions, who are active within Southern & Eastern England regions and constituencies.

As active members we were campaigning in these constituencies throughout the election. We saw where ground was made, but more importantly where the Labour Party remained disconnected with voters.

With only 12 Labour MPs being elected in Southern & Eastern England, the Parliamentary Labour Party is now focused on mainly London, Northern England and Wales. Consequently, we believe it is essential that the Leader and Deputy Leader campaigns are representative of the whole country.

We must listen to the activists, the wider Labour supporters, and also the voters from here that did not choose Labour this time. Their input will be essential to building a Labour Party fit for the needs of 2020, and beyond.

In order for this to happen, we are calling on the Parliamentary Labour Party to ensure that there are Southern & Eastern England candidates with the sufficient nominations needed to see them on the ballot for Leader or Deputy Leader.

The Parliamentary Labour Party will decide if this debate includes the whole country, or merely selected regions. We urge them to ensure the former.

Yours sincerely,

Marco Anderson, University of the West of England (Bristol) Labour Students

Rose Ashwood, Exeter CLP

Elizabeth Brown, Vice Chair of Essex Labour Students

John Chilvers, Faversham and Mid Kent CLP

Aileen Anne Crosbie, Peterborough CLP

Chris Curtis, Milton Keynes North CLP

Elliot Delahaye, Castle Point CLP

Lizzy Dobres, Mole Valley CLP

Ava Etemadzadeh, Essex Labour Students

Micha Eversley, Cambridge University Labour Club

Maria Finnerty, Exeter Labour Students

George Ford, Exeter CLP

Sarah Freestone, Kent Labour Students

Liam Garrett, Gillingham and Rainham CLP

Stephen Goodall, Eastleigh CLP

Daniel Gottschalk, Chelmsford CLP

Jess Hannah, Oxford University Labour Club

Holly Higgins, Cambridge University Labour Club

Catrin Hughes, Stevenage CLP

Liz Jessop, Exeter Labour Students

Ed Jones, Exeter Labour Students

Daniel Julian, University of East Anglia Labour Students

Gilbert MacNaughton, University of East Anglia Labour Students

Torren McEwan, Exeter Labour Students

Yasmin Nasli, Exeter Labour Students

Francesca Nightingale, South Cambridgeshire CLP

Jack Lay, Canterbury CLP

Chantel Le Carpentier, Essex Labour Students

Jonty Leibowitz, Cambridge University Labour Club

Karl Lewis, Plymouth Moor View CLP

Jake Pitt, Kent Labour Students

Dena Rafati, Plymouth Labour Students

Connor Rand, University of East Anglia Labour Students

William Sellers, Exeter Labour Students

Will Short, Exeter Labour Students

Tyrone Steele, Oxford University Labour Club

Theodore Stone, Exeter Labour Students

Lukey Stranger, Hove CLP

Jon Sykes, Exeter Labour Students

Ben Taylor, Kent Labour Students

Megan Wells, Canterbury CLP

Tom Wilson, Labour Students Eastern Regional Coordinator

Alex White, Canterbury CLP

Daniel Wrigglesworth, University of East Anglia Labour Students

Dylan Woodward, Exeter CLP