Bermondsey MP Neil Coyle says he does not regret nominating surprise frontrunner Jeremy Corybn as the Labour leadership votes close today, despite ultimately voting for rival Yvette Cooper.
Mr Coyle, MP for Bermondsey and Southwark, says he surveyed the local party members to find out who they wanted to nominate. Their first choice, Mary Creagh, stepped down and their joint second choices were Liz Kendall, who already had a nomination and ‘wildcard’ Jeremy Corbyn – brother of Southwark’s own weatherman and housing campaigner, Piers Corbyn.
As Corbyn gained an unexpected groundswell of support pushing him into first place in the polls, Labour leaders past and present warned of the “total annihilation” of the party were the ‘revolutionary’ to take to the helm.
But Mr Coyle told the News: “I don’t regret that I reflected members views.” Since Corbyn’s nomination, the Labour party has received hundreds of thousands of new members, with Bermondsey and Old Southwark getting more than two hundred new faces in the last six months.
“I hope whatever the outcome all those who joined will stay involved,” said Mr Coyle, who has already placed his vote for Yvette Cooper.
Helen Hayes, MP for Dulwich and West Norwood is backing Andy Burnham and Harriet Harman, MP for Camberwell and Peckham, is not placing a vote in order to remain neutral as acting party leader.
Voting closed today, Thursday, September 10, and the winner will be announced on Saturday.