Analysis: JessPhillips has withdrawn from the Labour leadership race, and LisaNandy is suddenly emerging as a real challenger and a threat to the top two
Ms Nandy impressed Labour MPs at the hustings in parliament last week. She then performed well in a TV interview with tough interrogator Andrew Neil and she obviously impressed the 60-strong executive of the GMB.
Ms Nandy has been MP for Wigan since 2010 and backed Andy Burnham for Labour leader in 2015 and Jeremy Corbyn's challenger Owen Smith in 2016.During the parliamentary battles over Brexit last year, she was a powerful voice for Leave-voting northern towns. And the GMB has ensured that what looked like a two-horse race just hours earlier now looks more like a three-horse race.While Sir Keir has picked up the support of Unison and USDAW, Ms Nandy already had the NUM - a tiny shell of a union these days - in the bag.
But she might benefit from some local parties lending her their support so she gets on the ballot paper. At the outset of the campaign, she attracted enough support from Labour MPs to clear the first hurdle, securing the required nominations from a minimum of 22 MPs or MEPs, relatively painlessly. Unlike Emily Thornberry, for example, who had to endure a last-minute scramble.
"The likelihood of someone like me, who speaks like I do and says the things I say, ever being elected to be a party leader is slim.
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