Emily Thornberry has announced that she is standing to be the next leader of the Labour Party.
Thornberry is the first person to formally announce her intention to succeed Jeremy Corbyn, although Rebecca Long-Bailey, Keir Starmer and David Lammy have indicated that they are considering it. Jess Phillips and Yvette Cooper are also thought to be likely contenders.
In an article for the Guardian, she said that she had been critical of Corbyn’s “neutral” Brexit stance, but also his decision to back a general election before Brexit had been dealt with. She also rejected the idea that the next Labour leader must be a northerner, following the collapse of Labour’s “red wall” of northern seats.
Key passage in Emily Thornberry's Guardian article. Says she warned Jeremy Corbyn in a memo that backing an electio… https://t.co/vdXD0ONJ84— Kevin Schofield (@Kevin Schofield) 1576671082
Thornberry was in the headlines earlier this week when defeated MP Caroline Flint accused her of suggesting that her north London constituents are smarter than Leave-voting constituents. She has strenuously denied the accusation and said she will pursue legal action if Flint doesn’t retract the claim.
Thornberry is undoubtedly a big character in the Labour party, with her fair share of allies and critics. She was famously involved in a social media scandal in which she was accused of classism and snobbery for tweeting an image of a white van surrounded by England flags.
Naturally, given her polarising status, people have been reacting strongly to the surprise leadership bid.
Her colleague Richard Bugron wasn't exactly enthusiastic...
Richard Burgon on Emily Thornberry joining Labour leadership contest “My preference is for Becky Long-Bailey but I… https://t.co/3pLJGj4yMX— BBC Politics (@BBC Politics) 1576672387
And others expressed scepticism that Thornberry is the type of leader that Labour needs right now.
@BBCPolitics @BBCNews Nooooooooooooooo— Kool Klassics (@Kool Klassics) 1576671801
In fact, most of the people celebrating seemed to be Tories, which isn't exactly a great sign.
@SkyNewsBreak Thats good news for the Tory party— Rob Sproston Sporting and Celebrity Speakers (@Rob Sproston Sporting and Celebrity Speakers) 1576671328
@SkyNewsBreak Labour, the gift that’s keeps on giving 😂😂😂😂— Go Pack Go (@Go Pack Go) 1576671265
Still, it's so early on in the contest and Thornberry will obviously have something important to contribute to the debate on Labour's future.