Jess Phillips moves into second place in nomination race to become next Labour leader

Clive Lewis, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Emily Thornberry, Lisa Nandy, Jess Phillips and Keir Starmer. Photograph: PA/Archant. - Credit: Archant

Jess Phillips has moved in second place in the race to become the next Labour leader based on the number of nominations from the parliamentary party.

The first part of the race requires each leadership contender to win over 22 MPs – with Sir Keir Starmer currently the clear favourite with the parliamentary Labour party (PLP) with 19 nominations.

Support for Jess Phillips appears to have rocketed to 12 nominations, putting her in second place, ahead of Rebecca Long-Bailey with nine backers.

In third place is Lisa Nandy with seven backers, ahead of Clive Lewis with just two.

Emily Thornberry has currently failed to secure the support of any MPs.

Candidates need nominations from 10% of Labour MPs and MEPs – which totals 212, making the required threshold 22.

It follows polling that put Starmer, Long-Bailey and Phillips in poll position to secure the most votes from Labour members.

Professor Tim Bale of Queen Mary University of London previously said that the winner of the overall competition is unlikely to come from the left of the party.

He said: “Unless potential candidates drop out before the start of voting, it may take a few rounds to decide the winner this time around.

“But it doesn’t look at the moment as if the winner will come from the left of the party.

“Right now anyway, Keir Starmer looks to be heading for a fairly emphatic victory.”

Nominations from MPs and MEPs close on Monday January 13.