The Wigan MP, seen as an underdog in the Labour Party leadership contest to replace Jeremy Corbyn, is said to have impressed the trade union in a hustings event held this morning. Sir Keir Starmer and Rebecca Long-Bailey, the front-runners in the contest, were snubbed by the important Labour affiliated body, who called Ms Nandy a “breath of fresh air”. The GMB trade union is one of the largest in the UK with more than 600,000 members – and its backing is set have a big influence on the outcome in the Labour leadership contest.
Lisa won’t shy away from the tough challenges or bold decisions that lie ahead, because she knows that after fifteen years of losing elections, more of the same won’t cut it
Tim Roache, GMB General Secretary, said: “Lisa Nandy is a breath of fresh air in the debate over Labour’s future.
“The more members see of Lisa in this contest the more impressed they will be by her ambition, optimism and decisive leadership. GMB is proud to nominate her.”
“Lisa won’t shy away from the tough challenges or bold decisions that lie ahead, because she knows that after fifteen years of losing elections, more of the same won’t cut it.
“A candidate entrenched in the union movement, Lisa gets the scale of the challenge.
“She will raise Labour’s game with a bold agenda that puts people first and grounds politics in their lives.”
Lisa Nandy has won the surprise backing of GMB in the Labour leadership race (Image: GETTY)
Tim Roache described Lisa Nandy as a ‘breath of fresh air in the debate over Labour’s future’ (Image: GETTY)
Following her nomination, Ms Nandy said: “To win again we’ll have to up our game, recover our ambition and inspire a movement.
“I could not be more proud that the GMB – representing more than half a million workers – has given me their backing.”
The GMB has also nominated Angela Rayner for deputy leader of the Labour Party.
Mr Roache continued: “For the members I represent, Angela Rayner shows that politics is about them and rooted in real life.
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Lisa Nandy tweeted ‘she could not be more proud’ the GMB had given her their backing (Image: @lisanandy / Twitter)
“To those people who believe that politics is not for the likes of them or have been told their whole lives not to get ideas above their station, Angela Rayner is a role model and an inspiration. One who walks the talk.
“What a message it would send for a former minimum wage care worker to go from looking after people as a home help to being Deputy Leader of the Labour Party – that’s what our party was founded on, it’s who we should be.
“Angela is not just an inspiring activist and fearless organiser, she gets the scale of the challenge Labour faces and the need for a team effort that brings unity and takes the party forward to win again.
“With Lisa and Angela at the helm, Labour can do things differently. The Party can be relevant, bold, and truly grounded in their lives.”
The news of Ms Nandy’s nomination came just minutes after Jess Phillips quit the Labour leadership race.
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Angela Rayner has received the backing of the GMB trade union for the deputy Labour leader position (Image: EMPICS)
Sir Keir Starmer has been backed by the Usdaw shopworkers’ union (Image: PA)
The Birmingham Yardley MP admitted she was not the person to “unite” the party “at this time”.
In a video message – hours after pulling out of the latest hustings event hosted by the GMB – she said: “The Labour Party will need to select a candidate who can unite all parts of our movement, the union movement, members and elected representatives.
“And I have to also be honest with myself, as I said I always would be throughout this campaign. At this time, that person is not me.
“In order to win the country, we are going to have to find a candidate, in this race, who can do all of that, and then take that message out to the country.
Rebecca Long-Bailey has also secured the nomination of a trade union (Image: Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)
“A message of hope and change, that things can be better.”
At the first hustings event in Liverpool on Saturday, Ms Phillips admitted her campaign has got off to an “awful” start and conceded she is unlikely to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as leader.
The backbench MP was also very critical of the event and described the format as “ridiculous” as each of the five candidates were given just 40 seconds to answer a question.
She admitted her responses “fell flat”.
What the policies of each Labour candidate would be like if they win the leadership race (Image: EXPRESS)
Ms Phillips, who has been an outspoken critic of Mr Corbyn, also admitted she “probably won’t win” the contest.
The Labour leadership candidates are now battling to make it to the final round having initially being required to secure the support of Labour MPs and MEPs.
They can do this via one of two routes – get the nominations of three Labour affiliates, including at least two trade unions, or secure endorsements from at least five percent of constituency Labour parties (CLPs).
The candidates have until February 14 to secure their place on this ballot, before the new Labour leader is named on April 4.
Lisa Nandy withdrew from the race to become the next Labour leader (Image: LISA NANDY / PA WIRE)
Sir Keir became the first candidate to make it through to the final stage of the Labour leadership election when the Usdaw shopworkers’ union became the third affiliate to back the Shadow Brexit Secretary’s campaign
Shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey and former Shadow Energy Secretary Ms Nandy have each secured the nomination of a trade union.
But Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry has yet to receive any support from a trade union.
This leaves her with an uphill battle in her attempts to win the support of 33 local constituency Labour parties to make it onto the final ballot paper.