Following the Labour party’s defeat in the 2019 General Election, the resignation of the party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, seemed inevitable. Corbyn announced that he would not lead the UK’s leftist party into another general election on the day the results of the election were announced. Jeremy Corbyn was first elected as leader in 2015 as a successor to Miliband, and now, several candidates aim to take his spot. Corbyn was seen as a leader who connected with and understood the political values of Britain’s youth, minorities, and working-class, leading the Labour party back to its true, socialist ideological position, with what was deemed the most radical manifesto in modern times.

The candidates who aim to become the party’s next leader are derived from the whole spectrum of the left, with candidates who align with Corbyn and his socialist values, and those who aim to bring the party more to the center of the political spectrum. The Labour party has never been led by a woman, so the fact that out of 3 leadership candidates, 2 are women, is significant.

Lisa Nandy, Keir Starmer, and Rebecca Long-Bailey

Source: Dazed

How do Labour’s leadership elections work?

Only members of the Labour party registered Labour supporters and members of societies which are affiliated to the party are able to vote in these internal elections.

In order to make it onto the ballot paper itself, candidates must get the support of at least 5% of Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs), which are the local labour parties of each individual representative district. Alternatively, they can be confirmed by getting the nomination of one affiliate and two trade unions.

Voting is done through postal ballots which open on 21st February and close on 2nd April, whereby the results will be announced through a conference two days later.

Who qualified for the ballot?

With nominations closed, the candidates for the ballot have been finalized. Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer qualified with most CLP nominations, standing at 374 CLP nominations. Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Rebecca Long-Bailey qualified for the ballot with 164 CLP nominations. The third and final candidate, Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Lisa Nandy qualified for the ballot with 72 CLP nominations. It seemed that Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Emily Thornberry would’ve made it onto the ballot, but fell short with just 31 CLP nominations.

Although there are three candidates, it is looking unlikely that Nandy will win, with Starmer and Long-Bailey positioned as the frontrunners by mainstream press and voters.

Head to Head

Keir Starmer

Seemingly the most popular candidate amongst CLPs, MPs and trade unions, Keir Starmer appeals to the majority of the party, with an endorsement from union UNISON under his belt.

A self-described supporter of socialism and loyal to the party’s policies, he insists that the only way change will happen is under a ‘radical Labour government’. He says he would not ‘oversteer’ away from the party’s current, radical socialist policies.

However, the reason he appeals to the majority of the party is due to the traction he has gained with centrist and right-leaning members of the party, assuring he would be supportive of both ‘Blairites’ (supporters of New Labour and Tony Blair) as well as those who stick to the left-wing of the party such as the grassroots Momentum faction.

A former lawyer who flaunts his years of pro-bono work to back himself as someone who fights the ‘moral fight against injustice’, Starmer has positioned himself as the popular choice. However, for Corbynistas, left-wing organization Momentum, and the party’s core socialists, it seems Starmer is only positioning himself as such to solely gain the leadership role. This comes as no surprise since Starmer has had public disagreements with Corbyn and his leadership, shown through his 2016 resignation from the shadow cabinet in protest of Corbyn’s leadership. However, he was reappointed to the shadow cabinet, since which he has toned down his criticisms of Corbyn and his leadership.

Starmer makes general claims and positions himself vaguely, stating things such as he is against austerity and inequality, but has not committed to fore-fronting any certain policies that combat his concerns.

While he has proven himself to be popular, with no real significant policy focus or push, will it be enough?

Rebecca Long-Bailey

Long-Bailey is seen as the natural choice for Corbynistas, socialists and the left-wing of the party. The architect of the Labour Party’s policies on the flagship Green Industrial Revolution, Long-Bailey is seen as the voice of the activist youth and workers, unsurprising as she aligns herself with and supports Corbyn. She even stated that she would give Corbyn a position in her cabinet.

However, she has clarified that she would lead in a different way to Corbyn, stating that she would ‘professionalize’ the party, promoting people on an objective basis rather than how well she knows someone- a veiled critique of Corbyn’s choices. “I don’t care which wing of the party you’re from. If you’re competent, professional, and get the job done, I want you working for Labour”, she said as she appealed to all factions of the party.

Long-Bailey has set out a clear, four-point plan for the future of the Labour Party, demonstrating a clear policy focus and what she intends to prioritize. She believes the rebuilding of Labour should be done through aspirational socialism, empowering members, a democratic revolution to boost membership of trade unions, and constitutional reform- starting with the abolition and replacement of the unelected upper chamber of Parliament, the House of Lords. In addition, she pushes for a Green Industrial Revolution, with a climate crisis and response to it being one of her greatest concerns and strengths.

She also advocates for LGBT+ rights, has vowed to change the law that prevents women’s refuges excluding trans women. Stating transphobic members of the party should be expelled. Her focus on constitutional reform continues as she calls for the 2010 Equality Act to be changed to allow self-identification for trans people. Long-Bailey states that she is ‘ready to take up the mantle of socialist leadership’, presenting herself as the choice of the left-wing and representative of the party’s original, socialist position.

She has been endorsed by staunchly pro-Corbyn and influential organizations such as Momentum, Unite, and the Fire Brigades’ union. With wide appeal and clear intention, the time for a female Labour leader is long overdue. Will Long-Bailey make history as the first?

Two different frontrunners with varied approaches in terms of campaigning- will Labour members elect leftist Long-Bailey or will they be persuaded by Starmer’s messages of healing divisions?

Advertisements

Dharshini Hemnath dharshinih2002@gmail.com Dharshini Hemnath is a seventeen-year-old political advocate and journalist. As a young woman of colour, she aims to raise awareness on issues which affect her generation and target minorities through the powerful medium of journalism. She hopes to tackle political apathy within younger generations through her articles.

Share this: Facebook

Twitter



Leave this field empty if you're human: