Lawmaker to launch Labour Party leadership contest in UK

Angela Eagle, who served in Corbyn’s senior leadership team until resigning last month, said she would launch a formal leadership challenge against him on Monday.

Throughout, Corbyn has used his support from grassroots party members as a shield against increasingly fierce attacks from Labour MPs and is likely to do so again following the leadership challenge announced by Angela Eagle on Saturday.

Corbyn has refused to step down from his role after a wave of resignations from his shadow cabinet and a vote of no confidence in the leader by 172 MPs from the party.

Mr Watson’s statement came as the defiant Labour leader attended the Durham Miners’ Gala.

Mr Watson also issued a statement, in which he said: “Since the (union) talks began Jeremy has publicly declared his intention to continue as leader come what may”.

As well as being Shadow Business Secretary, she served as Shadow First Minister, which meant when George Osborne deputised for David Cameron, she would deputise for Corbyn.

Eagle, a former trade unionist – and a junior chess champion in her youth – would become the first openly gay leader of one of Britain’s main political parties if she wins the contest. On 12 September 2015, she was replaced by Jeremy Corbyn, who won the Labour leadership election.

She said: “On Monday morning I will announce my candidature for Leader of the Labour Party”.

“We must now prepare for the process to exit the European Union and the government is committed to ensuring the best possible outcome for the British people in the negotiations”, it said in a statement.

Corbyn’s camp are confident that they have the support of Labour members.

“Jeremy Corbyn retains the CWU’s full support and it is clear to us that the actions of some members of the PLP, in undermining his mandate from the membership, are putting the future of the party at risk”.

Mr Corbyn’s spokesman said it is “disappointing that some have walked away from them [the talks]”.

If victorious, she would be the UK Labour Party’s first openly gay leader – though Scottish leader Kezia Dugdale came out past year.

The emergency meeting in Brighton was reportedly due to involve union leaders and Mr Watson, Mr Cryer and Ms Winterton as well as Corbyn ally shadow chancellor John McDonnell and the leader’s communications chief Seumas Milne.

She has held off until now to see if talks convened by the Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey, can broker a compromise, but so far no deal has emerged and one anti-Corbyn MP said colleagues were losing patience with McCluskey’s efforts.

Media reports in recent days have suggested there has been a new spike in Labour membership numbers since the Brexit vote, but it is unclear whether people were signing up to vote for or against Corbyn in the next leadership contest.