Barry Gardiner has announced he will NOT stand for Labour leader – 24 hours after he said he might.
The Shadow Trade Secretary last night thanked MPs, activists and “members of the public” who encouraged him to stand for the top job.
But he admitted he’d be unable to get the 22 MP and MEP nominations he needed by the Monday deadline.
“I have therefore decided not to stand for the leadership at this time,” Mr Gardiner declared.
The statement closes the most unexpected episode of the Labour leadership contest, which erupted on Wednesday night while Mr Gardiner was at a climate conference in Abu Dhabi.
HuffPost UK broke the surprise news that he could become the seventh candidate – despite MPs already giving dozens of nominations to frontrunners Keir Starmer and Rebecca Long-Bailey.
(Image: Daily Mirror)
Mr Gardiner then confirmed his intentions to the Mirror himself down the phone from the Middle East.
“I’m considering it because I believe I would have the best chance of winning at a general election and making sure we get a Labour government,” he declared.
Yet even as he launched a possible campaign from thousands of miles away, the six existing candidates were scooping up votes .
More than two thirds of Labour MPs, 148 out of 202, have now declared their support for a candidate – narrowing the pool who could have nominated Mr Gardiner by 2.30pm on Monday.
Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer is in the lead with 63 nominations while Corbyn allies’ favourite Rebecca Long-Bailey has 26.
(Image: The Wharf)
Outspoken backbenchers Jess Phillips and Lisa Nandy also crossed the line last week with 22 and 24 nominations.
Emily Thornberry and Clive Lewis look set to struggle, however – with just 9 and 4 nominations respectively.
Mr Gardiner said: “I want to thank all my colleagues as well as the party activists and members of the public who encouraged me to stand for the Labour Leadership.
“I am now clear that at this late stage I cannot secure sufficient nominations to proceed to the next round.
“I have therefore decided not to stand for the leadership at this time.
“I will continue to serve the party loyally under whichever of my colleagues has the honour of leading our party forward to win the next General Election.”
Mr Gardiner’s bid was the second abortive entry of the contest after Ian Lavery told the Mirror he was considering a run at the top job – only to pull out.
Labour chairman Mr Lavery was said to have been urged to run by allies of Jeremy Corbyn who wanted an alternative to Ms Long-Bailey. Mr Gardiner however denied he was approached by the “usual suspects”.
Mr Gardiner was a minister under Tony Blair , voted in favour of military action in Iraq in 2003 and nominated David Miliband for leadership in 2010. However, in recent years he has been a loyal defender of Jeremy Corbyn, often picked as the party’s spokesman and media defender in the Shadow Cabinet.
The 62-year-old former City arbitrator, MP for Brent North since 1997, spoke out hours after Rebecca Long-Bailey denied she was the “continuity” candidate for Jeremy Corbyn – but ranked him 10 out of 10 in an interview.
