DIANE ABBOTT yesterday became the first black person to contest the Labour leadership after a rush of late nominations secured her place in the race alongside four other contenders.
The left-wing MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington will fight for the leadership alongside David Miliband (former foreign secretary), Ed Miliband (former international development secretary) and Ed Balls (former education secretary), who were already confirmed as contenders. She is joined by Andy Burnham (former health secretary), who this morning notched up the last two nominations from Labour MPs he needed to reach the threshold of 33.
Ms Abbott entered on the closing day for nominations with the support of just 11 MPs – 22 short of the threshold. Amid unease that the race would be made up exclusively of white, male, Oxbridge-educated candidates, support for Ms Abbott soared in the final hours before today’s 12.30pm deadline, when fellow left-winger John McDonnell withdrew and key figures such as David Miliband revealed they were nominating her.
Ms Abbott’s campaign received a big boost yesterday when Harriet Harman, the acting Labour leader, took the unusual step of nominating her to ensure a woman’s name was on the ballot paper. As acting party leader, Ms Harman does not intend to cast a vote in the election.
Mr McDonnell revealed he was withdrawing from the contest because he could not secure enough nominations and wanted to ensure the presence of a woman on the ballot.
The MP for Hayes and Harlington, who chairs the Socialist Campaign group, which Ms Abbott attends, made his announcement just three hours before the deadline.
Ms Harman was rumoured to be lobbying party colleagues to lend their support to Ms Abbott in the final hours before nominations closed, with the remaining MPs required reportedly signing her nominations during the final minutes, as prime minister’s questions was under way at noon.
Mr Balls had asked MPs who had yet to cast their vote to throw their weight behind Ms Abbott, since he had already received 33 nominations.
David Miliband, the shadow foreign secretary, made good on his promise last week to offer his nomination to any candidate if it might make the difference to them appearing on the ballot paper.
In a Twitter message, he said: “Gather John McDonnell pulled out. I’m going now to nominate Dianne [sic] myself. Encourage others to do the same.”
Confirming the candidates, Ms Harman said: “Over the next few months over four million people will have the chance to help shape Britain’s progressive future by choosing the next leader of the Labour Party.
“This will be the biggest and most widespread election of any political party or any organisation in this country. The contest will be open, engaging and energising. It will be a chance to invite supporters to join the party to have a vote. This debate will involve Labour Party members, supporters in our affiliated trade unions and the wider public. This leadership contest is Labour’s opportunity to take forward the rebuilding for our party for the future challenges ahead.
“Over the coming months the candidates will meet thousands of people in meetings across the country and take the debate over Britain’s progressive future to as wide an audience as possible.”
Mr McDonnell’s decision to withdraw means he has now twice been thwarted in his attempt to represent the left in a leadership debate. His attempt to challenge Gordon Brown in 2007 failed after he did not manage to secure the necessary number of nominations.
His latest campaign was marred by his joke earlier this week that he would like to have gone back in time and assassinated former Tory prime minister Margaret Thatcher. – (Guardian service)