Labour star joining campaign will rattle rivals
Labour deputy leader hopeful Richard Burgon has today made an announcement that will shake up the contest and worry his rivals. The front-bencher has tweeted that Laura Pidcock is chairing his campaign for the deputy position, commenting:
I’m delighted to announce that the Chair of the #Richard4Deputy campaign is the inspirational Laura Pidcock.
Laura is one of my closest friends but more importantly we share a passionate commitment to a campaigning, socialist and democratic Labour Party.
Pidcock lost her seat in December – a casualty of the suicidal push by ultra-remainers such as Keir Starmer and Emily Thornberry for Labour to switch to a referendum-and-remain position – but remains massively popular and trusted among the party’s grassroots. Had she still been an MP, she would have been a ‘shoo-in’ for the party leadership if she wished to stand.
Pidcock’s backing makes Burgon an even more serious contender and – along with his campaign-launch statement, which stood out a mile from that of any of the other’s pitching for deputy or leader – will have a huge part of Labour’s membership looking seriously at his candidacy.
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