EXCL Dan Jarvis plots Labour leadership bid as race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn intensifies

Dan Jarvis is plotting a bid to become the next leader of the Labour Party, PoliticsHome has learned.



The Barnsley Central MP has been taking soundings from colleagues about whether to throw his hat into the ring in the race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.

Mr Jarvis, who is also mayor of the Sheffield City Region, has called for Labour to make a "clean break" with the Corbyn era in the wake of last month's devastating general election defeat.

He told the BBC: "The leadership of the past few years has not been successful in winning elections. We’ve lost twice now. And what we’ve got to do is listen to what people have been saying right around the country."

The former frontbencher said Labour must have a leader who the party can "credibly present to the country as a Prime Minister".

Asked whether Mr Corbyn's top advisers Karie Murphy and Seumas Milne should be sacked, Mr Jarvis said: "Yes I think we need a clean break, we need a new leadership team, a new leader, new people coming into the Shadow Cabinet, new advisers in the leader’s office: A clean break with the past and a fresh start."

Although he said he was "not considering" a leadership bid of his own, PoliticsHome understands that he has been encouraged to stand by some in the party, and is seriously considering it.

Emily Thornberry and Clive Lewis are so far the only MPs to confirm they want the top job, while Keir Starmer, Ian Lavery, Lisa Nandy and Rebecca Long Bailey have said they are thinking about entering the race. Jess Phillips is also expected to announce her own leadership bid.

One Labour source said Nottingham-born Mr Jarvis, a former Army major who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, was the best placed candidate to win back Labour voters in the north and Midlands who deserted the party at the last election.

However, a YouGov poll of Labour members found that Sir Keir has a clear lead over his leadership rivals.