JEREMY COBRYN was clear about the need for a left candidate in the race to replace Ed Miliband as Labour leader.

Speaking just five days after the party’s devastating general election loss, Mr Corbyn told the Star it was “essential” to have an anti-austerity voice in the debate.

I asked whether that would be him.

He ruled nothing out, but the MP, more comfortable on a picket line than climbing Labour’s leadership ladder, would have been happy to support another comrade.

With John McDonnell declaring himself out of a third leadership run, miners’ MP Ian Lavery and shadow cabinet minister Jon Trickett quickly emerged as the favourites.

Both though resisted the clamour from Labour members.

Mr McDonnell had warned it was “very unlikely” there would be a left candidate.

Other names were suggested and work continued behind the scenes to persuade an MP to step forward, but three weeks and one leadership hustings later, there was still no name.

Until Wednesday night.

Mr Corbyn stepped forward after a discussion at the first meeting of the Socialist Campaign Group in the new Parliament.

He had planned to make the announcement yesterday, but when supporters headed to the bars to canvass fellow MPs, the news quickly found its way to Twitter.

Mr Corbyn’s humility and principles meant he wasn’t first to stick his hand up in the leadership race.

But in the end if was those qualities that made him the left’s best hope and they will win him thousands of votes from members across Britain — if MPs ensure he’s on the ballot paper.