All three Labour leadership candidates today pledged to offer their rivals Shadow Cabinet positions if they won the race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.
Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy also each said they would happily serve in the winners’ team.
Voting in the contest to succeed Mr Corbyn opens today(MON) – and runaway favourite Mr Starmer vowed to offer senior roles to both of his opponents if he won.
“I would happily offer both these candidates a top job in the Shadow Cabinet and I’d happily serve them if they wanted me to do the same,” the Shadow Brexit Secretary told a hustings in Durham.
Ms Long-Bailey said she would accept a job on either of their frontbenches – and offer them both roles.
The Shadow Business Secretary said. “I think they’re both brilliant, and I would do whatever I was asked and whatever it takes to make sure, if I didn’t become leader, to make sure we were elected as the next Labour government.”
Wigan MP Ms Nandy also praised her opponents in confirming she would give them key roles.
“I like both of these people, I respect them. I would want them in my Shadow Cabinet doing big jobs,” she said.
“But I would equally be happy to serve alongside them in whatever role they chose to give me.”
The winner is announced on April 4.
But Diane Abbott said she would not stay on as Shadow Home Secretary, whoever won the leadership contest.
She told Sky News: “I will be stepping down because I think that the new leader, they have to be able to construct their own shadow cabinet.
“I was a backbencher for a few years and there’s an awful lot to do on the backbenches.”
