McDonnell contemplates standing aside for Abbott
By politics.co.uk staff
John McDonnell is willing to step aside so that Diane Abbott can secure more nominations in the Labour leadership contest.
The left-wing MP was responding to a comment piece in the Guardian by Jackie Ashley which suggested he should abandon his leadership hopes so more women could be on the ballot.
In a response to the piece, Mr McDonnell wrote: “I think the party is big enough to let us both on to the ballot paper and that is what I am asking Labour MPs to do; but if at the end of this fortnight my standing down would mean securing any woman on this ballot paper, or any black person, of course I will do so.
“Throughout my political life, principles have always come before career.”
Both candidates are fighting to get the required support for 33 MPs needed to secure their run for the leadership. Only the Miliband brothers have so far secured enough support.
Mr McDonnell expressed concern that the current batch of candidates was insufficiently representative of the country.
“We have two weeks to sort out a platform that truly reflects the diversity of political views and backgrounds of not just our party membership but the country as a whole,” he wrote.
“I am appealing to Labour MPs to nominate so that all the declared candidates get on to the hustings. This would contrast with the leadership elections of the other parties, which were dominated by Oxbridge, middle-class, white males, with barely a political difference between them.”
