Keir Starmer, MP for Holborn and St Pancras, was elected as the new leader of the UK Labour party, the Guardian reported. He replaces Jeremy Corbyn in the post, after beating Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy. Starmer won the support of 56.2% of party members, with Rebecca Long-Bailey coming second with 27.6%, while Lisa Nandy got 16.2% of the vote.
.@Keir_Starmer has been elected as Leader of the Labour Party with 56% of the vote. For full results, head to our website 👉 https://t.co/MX60gY8CA1 #LabourLeadership pic.twitter.com/uc3r7NzdBb
— The Labour Party (@UKLabour) April 4, 2020
The deputy leadership position was won by Angela Rayner who outpaced two other candidates, Dawn Butler and Ian Murray, to come top in the third round, with 52.6% of the vote.
"It's the honour and privilege of my life to be elected as leader of the Labour Party. It comes at a moment like no other in our lifetime", Starmer said in a pre-recorded statement.
Hear from @Keir_Starmer – our new Leader. #LabourLeadership pic.twitter.com/xdIFQKNOy9
— The Labour Party (@UKLabour) April 4, 2020
Starmer previously worked as the director of public prosecutions and has most recently been the Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.
"Under my leadership we will engage constructively with the government, not opposition for opposition's sake. Not scoring party political points or making impossible demands. But with the courage to support where that's the right thing to do", the new Labour leader said.
After his election was announced, Starmer apologised for incidents of anti-Semitism in the party.
"On behalf of the Labour Party, I am sorry", Starmer said in a statement. "I will tear out this poison by its roots and judge success by the return of Jewish members and those who felt that they could no longer support us".
The news comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that he would invite leaders from opposition parties in order to take a joint actions against the coronavirus pandemic.
"As party leaders, we have a duty to work together at this time of national emergency", Johnson announced.
Corbyn Announces His Resignation
On 13 December, a day after the Labour Party suffered its heaviest defeat since the 1935 in a snap national poll, Jeremy Corbyn, who had been serving as party leader since 2015, announced that he would step down from his post.
He has been serving as a party leader since in 2015, championing more left-wing socialist policies of nationalisation and clearly expressing his opposition to war. Corbyn officially supported remain during the 2016 Brexit referendum but offered only lukewarm support to the EU cause, disappointing many Labour supporters.
