IAN LAVERY and John Trickett were named among the favourites to become the left candidate in the Labour leadership race yesterday.

Former National Union of Mineworkers leader Ian Lavery is a respected backbencher, while Mr Trickett has been reappointed to Labour’s shadow cabinet by acting leader Harriet Harman.

The pair were named by sources on Labour’s left after John McDonnell ruled himself out of a third attempt to stand for Labour’s leadership live on the BBC.