Out MP Angela Eagle launches bid for Labour deputy leadership
Angela Eagle has become the second LGB MP to declare her candidacy for the deputy leadership of the Labour party.
The Labour MP, who served as a Minister under Gordon Brown and is currently Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, is one of just three out lesbians currently in Parliament.
Ms Eagle, who previously hinted at a leadership bid, declared she will run to succeed Harriet Harman – who has said she will resign once she finishes as acting leader, following Ed Miliband’s resignation.
The MP said: “I announce today that I am running to be Labour’s deputy leader. We’ve just suffered a heartbreaking election defeat and our party is now at a critical moment. I’ve put myself forward because I love my country and our party, and I care about the road we take.
“I want to be part of a leadership team that unites us and takes us forward. I’m ready for this.”
The announcement did not go to plan, however – with music seemingly stripped out of Ms Eagle’s first video for copyright reasons, forcing her to upload a second copy.
The move puts her opposite another openly gay MP – former Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw – who was dropped from the Shadow Cabinet by the party in 2010, but launched his bid for deputy leader last week.
Mr Bradshaw’s bid also failed to go quite to plan – with the news leaking when Mr Bradshaw’s team purchased the website domains www.ben4deputy.co.uk and www.ben4labour.co.uk, before before he declared his bid on Friday.
Mr Bradshaw caused a stir at the PinkNews Awards last year – when he heckled Minister for Women and Equalities Nicky Morgan.
The Labour MP defended shouting at the Tory minister for voting against same-sex marriage, claiming “she was lucky not to be heckled twice”.
Other candidates include Stella Creasy, Caroline Flint and Tom Watson.
Watch the clip below:
