Trevor Phillips, former head of the Commission for Racial Equality and chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, has tonight backed Stella Creasy in the race to be Labour’s next deputy leader, saying that she has pursued “one of the only campaigns that has been successful in Labour’s period in opposition” – her campaign against payday lenders.
Philips says that Creasy, who has served as MP for Walthamstow since 2010, is “one of the few in our leadership who, in my experience, listens before she tells you what you ought to think”.
Philips, a Labour member, dubbed Creasy a “fresh, original and new perspective in this contest”.
“The most important thing Labour needs to do,” he added, “is genuinely listen to what the electorate has said to us, and try to work out what the Labour party is really for in the 21st Century.”
The endorsement should provide a boost to Creasy, who needs the backing of seven more MPs before 12 noon tomorrow if she is to make it onto the ballot paper and into the contest proper.
Of the six declared candidates for deputy leader, two – Tom Watson and Caroline Flint – have already qualified. Creasy, who is the closest to qualification of the trailing pack, has 28 MPs.
Philips’ statement is below:
I want to see Stella in this contest for deputy leader because she has pursued one of the only campaigns that has been successful in Labour’s period in opposition – that of payday lenders. On this she listened to something people told her, pursued it and then delivered on it. In doing so she defended vulnerable people, like my parents were when they came to Britain in the 1950s.
The most important thing Labour needs to do is genuinely listen to what the electorate has said to us, and try to work out what the Labour Party is really for in the 21st century. Stella is one of the few in our leadership who, in my experience, listens before she tells you what you ought to think.
The greater diversity of voices we have in this contest, the greater the choice for party members and the more vibrant a debate we can have. That is why it is so important to have a fresh, original and new perspective in this contest for Deputy Leader. That is what Stella will bring.”
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