Mary Creagh enters Labour leadership race
Mary Creagh has announced her plans to stand for the leader of the Labour party – joining the existing field of candidates.
The shadow international development secretary Mary Creagh declared her candidacy in an article for the Daily Mail.
She recounted receiving a letter from a business owner on election day, saying: “If your lot do win today, please don’t annihilate the private sector and economy.”
The MP for Wakefield added: “Tomorrow I am launching my bid to be the leader of the Labour Party. I want to earn back the trust that Middle England has lost in the Labour Party.
“We forgot the hard-learned lessons of our last three election victories; that to win elections a party needs to offer hope.
“Labour didn’t just lose Middle England last week. We lost Scotland and our industrial heartlands as well.
“I want to earn back the trust that Scotland has lost in the Labour Party where people were angry and felt that Westminster politics wasn’t working for them.”
It comes as Chuka Umunna withdrew his candidacy, just days after declaring his interest in running for the position.
Mr Umunna said of running for leader: “I have not found it to be a comfortable experience.
“One can imagine what running for leader can be like, understand its demands and the attention but nothing compares to actually doing it and the impact on the rest of one’s life.
“Consequently after further reflection I am withdrawing my candidacy.”
At present, the declared candidates are Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper, Mary Creagh and Liz Kendall.
Shadow Education Secretary Tristram Hunt is also said to be exploring a bid.
