MP Pat McFadden backs 'brave' Jess Phillips in Labour leadership election
Pat McFadden has backed Jess Phillips to be Labour's new leader, saying she can bring the "change of direction" needed to transform the party into an electoral force.
Birmingham Yardley MP Ms Phillips is one of six candidates vying to replace Jeremy Corbyn as leader, in a contest that is due to run until April 4.
Announcing his nomination for her candidacy, Wolverhampton South East MP Mr McFadden said she had the qualities required to resurrect Labour after its disastrous performance in the general election.
"Of all the candidates, she understands best the need for big changes in the Labour Party following our worst election result since 1935," he said.
"We don’t just need a change of leader but a change of direction too.
"For our values to be put into practice we have to have a much more credible policy offer than we had at the last election and Jess understands that leadership involves making choices and setting some priorities about what you want do to.
"She has been very brave in recent years in speaking out about where things have gone wrong and bravery will be needed if we are to get back to a competitive position.
"And she is a politician for today’s times who speaks very honestly and directly which is a breath of fresh air.”
Mr McFadden has also nominated Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray as deputy leader, describing him as "an excellent politician" who could meet "the challenge of competing nationalisms" in England and Scotland, which he believes pose "a big threat to the UK".
"With the SNP dominant in Scotland and the Tories becoming a more explicitly English nationalist party, we need strong voices in politics who believe in the UK and will fight to hold our country together," Mr McFadden said.
"A big part of why the UK is such a special and wonderful country and such an influence in the world is the combination of countries which stand together in this union.
"It would be a tragedy is we were to split into our constituent parts and I believe holding the UK together is going to be a big challenge over the next few years.
"Ian Murray really understands that and I think he would be a great addition to Labour’s top team."
Launching her leadership bid last week, 38-year-old Ms Phillips said she was standing because there was a need for "more honesty in politics".
Criticising Mr Corbyn's leadership, she claimed voters had lost trust in the Labour Party and said Boris Johnson needed to be challenged with "passion, heart and precision".
The other candidates for leadership are Sir Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long Bailey, Clive Lewis, Lisa Nandy and Emily Thornberry.
Shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner says he is considering entering the contest.
