Jess Phillips has quit the Labour leadership race saying she doesn’t believe she is the candidate to unite the party. The Birmingham Yardley MP leaves Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Lisa Nandy and Emily Thornberry to battle it out to replace Jeremy Corbyn.
In a video message to supporters this afternoon, two weeks into the campaign, she said: ‘The Labour Party needs to elect a candidate who can bring all parts of our movement together. And at this time, if I am honest, that candidate is not me.’
The 38-year-old added that to win again and ‘do all of the things that we need a Labour government to do, we must elect a leader who can bring us together, end the division and rebuild trust with the country.’
The Labour Party needs to elect a candidate who can bring all parts of our movement together. And at this time, if I am honest, that candidate is not me.
Earlier today, she missed a hustings organised by the GMB union, causing many to speculate about her campaign. She had, so far, failed to secure any union or affiliate backing. She had, however, secured 23 nominations from MPs to put her into the latest phase of the contest. Starmer is the frontrunner so far with results announced on April 4.
In her message today, Phillips also thanked everyone who had pledged their support to her, adding: ‘I will always speak out and I promise that we will change the problems in our party that we have seen. I'm going to go out into the country and join the fight back.’
Nandy and Thornberry both tweeted they were sorry to see her drop out, with Thornberry writing: ‘We need to broaden our debate, not narrow it, and force the two favourites to prove they're up to the fight by pitting them against some real strength.’
Phillips has not yet said who she will be backing in the race.
READ MORE: My Heart Says Jess Phillips But My Head Says Keir Starmer