Why Chuka Umunna quit the Labour leadership race, according to Chuka Umunna

Chuka Umunna has spoken out about his shock decision to remove himself from the Labour leadership race, claiming his "heart wasn't really in it at that moment".

Umunna, who had been a front-runner in the contest, cited concerns over intense media scrutiny as the main reason for his decision to quit. Speaking to the BBC's Newsnight, he emphasised there were "no skeletons" or "revelations" behind the move, adding: "I have absolutely nothing to hide."

Instead Umunna said he found the media interest "hard to stomach".

When it began to affect my girlfriend, her family and my family and we had reporters for example going to her family when they were in the middle of having their Sunday roast with her 97-year-old grandmother - I found that very hard to stomach.

For once I thought in my life I’m going to put my family, my girlfriend, her family, put them first - and this is not the right time for me.

Umunna has not ruled out running again, saying it is not "impossible", but for now he is backing Liz Kendall.

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