REBECCA LONG-BAILEY was endorsed as the next Labour leader by shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon today.

As well as backing her for the main job, Mr Burgon put himself forward for deputy leader – a position that remains vacant after Tom Watson stood down ahead of last week’s general election.

On BBC’s Politics Live, Mr Burgon said it was an “oversimplification” to describe shadow business secretary and Salford and Eccles MP Ms Long-Bailey as the “continuity Corbyn candidate."

He added: “She is from the left of the party. She’s from the North and understands why we lost votes in Leave-voting areas, and understands the industrial programme as part of the green industrial revolution which can actually help those towns and [...] replace the jobs lost as a result of de-industrialisation.

“I think it is important we have somebody who is from the left of the Labour Party on both the leadership ballot and on the deputy leadership ballot.

“I think members should have a choice of people on the ballot from all parts of the Labour Party. If we want to bring our party together then that is what we need.

“Labour has always been a coalition of socialists, trade unionists and social democrats.”

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry also declared her candidacy to succeed Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who, along with shadow chancellor John McDonnell, will stand down early next year.

Others, including shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer and Wigan MP Lisa Nandy, have signalled they are considering running.

Mr Starmer warned that Labour must not “oversteer” away from the left-wing politics of Mr Corbyn.

In a clear attempt to distance himself from the legacy of Tony Blair, he described himself as a “socialist” and backed the party’s current anti-austerity policies.

He added that it would be a mistake to  abandon Mr Corbyn’s politics, which he described on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme as “a radicalism that matters.”

The leadership positioning came as Mr Blair laid the blame firmly at Mr Corbyn’s feet, saying he had pursued a policy of “almost comic indecision.”

“I believe with different leadership we would have kept much of our vote in traditional Labour areas,” he also claimed in a speech.

Former Cabinet minister Yvette Cooper said she was also considering a leadership bid, after having unsuccessfully stood against Mr Corbyn in 2015.