Labour leadership: Usdaw’s NEC endorses Andy Burnham for leader of the Labour Party
The National Executive Council of the retail trade union Usdaw has today unanimously endorsed Andy Burnham to be the next leader of the Labour Party. The governing body’s decision was made at their regular monthly meeting in Newcastle this afternoon.
Joanne Thomas – Usdaw general secretary says: “Andy Burnham’s exceptional victory in Makerfield proved that he has the ability to reach voters with a strong message of hope and defeat the divisive politics of hate. Now that Keir Starmer has rightly set a timetable for his resignation, our NEC members believe Andy, as Labour leader and Prime Minister, can begin the Party’s fightback from the dismal May election results, by delivering the change promised in 2024 and earning a second term in Government.
“Keir Starmer has made an immense contribution to our movement and we will always be grateful to him for turning around the Labour Party, after its worst defeat in living memory, and securing a landslide victory in an election most said he couldn’t win. We believe Andy Burnham is the right person to ensure that Labour’s manifesto commitment of a new deal for workers to help make work pay is delivered in full. We also think he can regenerate our regions and bring back economic growth, to help secure jobs and pay for fundamental renewal in our public services.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK's fifth biggest with around 370,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also represents many workers in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades www.usdaw.org.uk
For further information please contact Usdaw’s Media Office on: 0161 249 2469 or by e-mail to [email protected]
For Usdaw press releases visit: www.usdaw.org.uk/news
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