Meet the Labour leadership candidates – an analysis by UNN’s Oliver Down

The membership ballot for the Labour leadership opens on Friday, is it the most irrelevant Labour leadership race in the party’s history? In the race is Lisa Nandy, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Sir Keir Starmer. UNN’s Oliver Down has been having an in-depth look at the candidates. 

The first candidate Lisa Nandy has stated that she would vote for the abolition of the monarchy, although she would not make this a priority of her leadership and that she would like to see ‘Queen Meghan at some point. Is Ms Nandy wearing flip flops by any chance? She also has the backing of the hugely influential union GMB. Nandy has also called for an ending of nominations to the controversial House of Lords. 

The second candidate is Rebecca Long-Bailey. Who is that do I hear some of you asking? Ms Long-Bailey has claimed that Jeremy Corbyn was 100% right, this is despite the Labour party receiving its worst result at a general election since 1935 and delivering a Conservative majority in the House of Commons of 80. Ms Long-Bailey also has a prolonged record of support for the Palestinians fight against Israel, this is likely to stoke similar allegations of anti-Semitism that blighted the premiership of Jeremy Corbyn. On top of this, on last night leadership debate on Channel 4 Long-Bailey stated that she was rubbish at answering yes/no questions. 

The final candidate is the favourite Sir Keir Starmer. He is the most centrist of the candidates and some feel he may not fair well with the more left-wing Labour party rank and file membership. He is, however, the most likely to eat into Boris Johnson’s mammoth Commons majority. Sir Keir may also feel that with some of the lunacy coming out of Long-Bailey and Nandy’s campaign that all he has to do is remain silent and let the other two talk themselves out of the job.