Skip to main content
Stockport MP hits out at 'unhealthy' anonymous briefings against Labour left
Newly elected MP Navendu Mishra urges colleagues to ‘get behind’ whoever wins
Labour leadership candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey leaves after the Labour leadership hustings in Nottingham on Saturday

A NEWLY elected Labour MP urged his colleagues today to “get behind” whoever wins the Labour leadership contest, warning that anonymous briefings against Rebecca Long Bailey are “not healthy.”

Navendu Mishra has criticised a series of anonymous claims that a large number of Labour MPs are ready to quit the party if the shadow business secretary emerges triumphant.

One MP who asked not to be named said that between 30 to 50 fellow Labour parliamentarians would walk out if Ms Long Bailey was chosen by members to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.

Another said that 35 would leave, saying: “The Labour Party would be sticking two fingers up to the public to stay on the same course as set by Corbynism.

“MPs won’t go through that again and the public won’t stand for it.”

Mr Mishra, who was elected to represent Stockport in December, told the Morning Star: “The constant anonymous briefings and threats towards certain leadership candidates are not healthy for our party full stop. They show contempt for our members and they only strengthen this vicious Conservative administration.

“No matter who wins in the leadership race, we have to get behind the members’ choice for leader, so that we can offer the real alternative that our communities need, and all Labour parliamentarians have to recognise this.”

Speaking at a rally in Lewisham last week, Ms Long Bailey responded to a question about disruptive MPs by calling on the party to “pull together.”

However, she warned: “If people aren’t able to move on, that’s when obviously I’ll have to become a bit more ruthless.”

Aslef, the train drivers’ union, backed Rebecca Long Bailey for leader and Angela Rayner for deputy leader yesterday. 

General secretary Mick Whelan applauded the candidates’ support for rail renationalisation and said that the union believes they are “best placed to rebuild our party in Parliament and lead Labour to victory at the next election.”

Morning Star Conference - Race, Sex & Class
Support the Morning Star
You can read five articles for free every month,
but please consider supporting us by becoming a subscriber.
More from this author
Britain / 27 February 2020
27 February 2020
Britain / 27 February 2020
27 February 2020
Britain / 26 February 2020
26 February 2020
Similar stories
Cartoon: Lewis Marsden
Features / 13 February 2025
13 February 2025
What’s behind the sudden wave of centrist ‘understanding’ about the real nature of Starmerism and its deep unpopularity? SOLOMON HUGHES reckons he knows the reasons for this apparent epiphany
Zarah Sultana, MP for Coventry South, (centre) on a TSSA pic
Britain / 23 January 2025
23 January 2025
A view of the Senedd, the Welsh parliament building in Cardi
Britain / 21 July 2024
21 July 2024