Allies of Jeremy Corbyn led calls for a snap election yesterday as Angela Eagle formally launched her bid to oust him as Labour leader.
The former shadow business secretary denied embarking on a political “suicide mission”, insisting she could make the party electable again after the “howl of pain” expressed in the Brexit vote by people who felt they had been ignored for too long.
But as she set out her stall, Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom pulled out of the Tory leadership race, clearing the way for a Theresa May premiership.
Mr Corbyn’s camp immediately seized on the news to demand unity, with Labour’s election co-ordinator Jon Trickett announcing he was putting the whole of the party on “an election footing”.
He said it was “crucial” the public was asked to give their assent to Mrs May.
He intervened as it emerged Ms Eagle was facing a vote of no confidence by members of her local Wallasey constituency party, which backs Mr Corbyn’s leadership.
Meanwhile, Labour’s general secretary Iain McNicol confirmed he had received sufficient nominations to trigger a contest for the position of leader.
He will now ask the chair of the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) to convene a meeting to confirm arrangements for an election.
It will also determine whether Mr Corbyn needs to be nominated by 51 MPs and MEPs to be allowed to stand as a candidate.
Those close to the Islington MP insist he should be on the ballot paper by right and he has signalled he will mount a legal challenge if the NEC rules otherwise.
Former acting leader Harriet Harman said any attempt to do so would heap “more dysfunction” on the party.
She added: “The idea that the leader of the party, having lost the confidence of Labour MPs, then takes the national executive of the party to court is just more dysfunction upon more dysfunction and the party is suffering.”
There are increasing fears among other MPs the current leadership is prepared to split the party to remain in place.
Ms Eagle’s announced her leadership bid two weeks after 172 Labour MPs indicated they had no confidence in Mr Corbyn.
In contrast, he secured the support of just 40 Westminster colleagues.
She said yesterday: “I am not here for a Labour Party that just takes part. I’m here to win. I will not stand back and allow Britain to become a one-party Tory state.
“I need those who want a better Labour Party and a better politics to join Labour now, to help me change Labour for the better.”
