Richard Burgon Is Officially Standing To Be Labour Deputy Leader

The MP for East Leeds said he will be "outlining more in the new year".
Richard Burgon, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, delivers his speech during the Labour Party Conference at the Brighton Centre in Brighton earlier this year.
Richard Burgon, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, delivers his speech during the Labour Party Conference at the Brighton Centre in Brighton earlier this year.
PA Wire/PA Images

Richard Burgon has announced he is standing to be Labour’s deputy leader.

The MP for East Leeds, who made headlines with a number of gaffes during interviews, announced the news in a tweet and linked to an article he penned on how the party did so badly in this month’s general election and “how we rebuild”.

Burgon added he would be “outlining more in the new year”.

After a break and discussions with MPs and party members, I’m announcing that I'm standing to be Labour's Deputy Leader🌹

Here’s my recent Tribune article with some thoughts on why we lost badly and how we rebuild: https://t.co/LjFGYZVA5m

I'll be outlining more in the New Year.

— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) December 31, 2019

Elsewhere, the race for the top job heated up last week, after two Remain-backing candidates hinted they could put their names forward to be Leader.

Long-standing Tottenham MP David Lammy gave the clearest indication yet that he was mulling entering the contest to replace Jeremy Corbyn as leader, who announced he would step down after Labour’s disastrous showing at the polls.

And Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan confirmed in an interview with the Sunday Times that she was considering entering the race for deputy leader.

In an article for the Observer newspaper, Lammy said Corbyn’s “mind-boggling decision to abdicate leadership” and remain neutral on Brexit was one of the main factors behind Labour’s largest election defeat since 1935.

Lammy said he wanted to see an end to “tribalism” in British politics, reform to the “unfair” voting system and a trial of universal basic income – a scheme where everyone in society is paid a small salary by the State.

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