JUNE 15 was a defining moment in the history of our movement. It was the day that the shortlist of applicants for the post of Labour’s next leader was settled.

Four candidates, having received 35 or more parliamentary nominations necessary to join that list, were in the race. One of them was Islington North’s socialist MP Jeremy Corbyn, a veteran backbencher, “an old white guy.” Reportedly his clinching nominations were received with minutes to go before the midday deadline. If that is so, the phrase “A week is a long time in politics” can now start with “15 minutes” instead.

The other three aspirants, Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall, are all shadow ministers, and the first two were ministers under Gordon Brown’s government before the 2010 general election thrust Labour out of power. Burnham led the field with almost 70 nominations, Cooper was a strong second with almost 60 and Liz Kendall had 41, five more than Corbyn’s 36. Corbyn had scraped on to the ballot with one vote to spare, and, among national newspapers, only the Morning Star, on June 15, was confident of his prospects before the ballot closed. The real contest would now begin.