Rebecca Long Bailey has failed in her bid to become Leader of the Labour Party, beaten by Keir Starmer who polled 56.2% of the vote on the first ballot.
The Salford and Eccles MP has not yet put out a statement* but Starmer has tweeted "It's the honour and privilege of my life to be elected as Leader of the Labour Party. I will lead this great party into a new era, with confidence and hope, so that when the time comes, we can serve our country again – in government".
This was in addition to along acceptance statement which focused on the coronavirus pandemic... "Under my leadership we will engage constructively with the Government, not opposition for opposition's sake. Not scoring party political points or making impossible demands. But with the courage to support where that's the right thing to do.
"But we will test the arguments that are put forward. We will shine a torch on critical issues and where we see mistakes or faltering government or things not happening as quickly as they should we'll challenge that and call that out" he added "Our purpose when we do that is the same as the Government's, to save lives and to protect our country, a shared purpose.
"But that is not the only task for the Labour Party" he explained "The weeks ahead are going to be really difficult. I fear there are going to be some awful moments for many of us. But we will get through this. The curve will flatten, the wards will empty, the immediate threat will subside. And we have scientists working on vaccines.
"But when we do get through this we cannot go back to business as usual" he added "This virus has exposed the fragility of our society. It's lifted a curtain. Too many will have given too much. Some of us will have lost too much. We know in our hearts, things are going to have to change. We can see so clearly now who the key workers really are.
"When we get through this it'll be because of our NHS staff, our care workers, our ambulance drivers, our emergency services, our cleaners, our porters" he said "It will be because of the hard work and bravery of every key worker as they took on this virus and kept our country going. For too long they've been taken for granted and poorly paid. They were last and now they should be first.
"In their courage and their sacrifice and their bravery, we can see a better future. This crisis has brought out the resilience and human spirit in all of us" he said "We must go forward with a vision of a better society built on that resilience and built on that human spirit. That will require bravery and change in our party as well..."
Paying tribute to Jeremy Corbyn, Starmer concluded that the party has "got a mountain to climb...But we will climb it, and I will do my utmost to reconnect us across the country, to re-engage with our communities and voters, to establish a coalition across our towns and our cities and our regions with all creeds and communities to speak for the whole of the country.
"Where that requires change, we will change" he said "Where that requires us to rethink, we will rethink. Our mission has to be to restore trust in our party as a force for good and a force for change. This is my pledge to the British people. I will do my utmost to guide us through these difficult times, to serve all of our communities and to strive for the good of our country.
"I will lead this great party into a new era, with confidence and with hope" he added "So that when the time comes, we can serve our country again in government..."
Meanwhile, Ashton-under-Lyne MP, Angela Rayner won the race to be Deputy Leader...
* Update: Rebecca Long Bailey has now put out a statement...
"To those who supported our campaign, and who voted for me to be Labour's first woman leader, thank you for putting your faith in me and for your support. We didn't get the result we wanted, but I'm proud of the campaign we ran, and the conversation we drove on public ownership, public investment, trade union and employment rights, a mass programme of council house building, a national care service, a Universal Basic Income and a national education service. Just as it is collective institutions that will see us through the coronavirus crisis, these policies must be the building blocks of a society that guarantees everyone security and a right to realise their aspirations in the future.
"I want to pay tribute to Keir and to Lisa and their respective teams, who each led fantastic campaigns. Keir Starmer will be a brilliant prime minister and I can't wait to see him in Number 10. I will do all I can to make that a reality, and to ensure the Labour party gets into government with a transformative agenda at the next election.
"We live in extraordinary and uncertain times and it is now up to all of us to support Keir as best we can.
"Coronavirus, one of the most serious crises that this country has faced, has taken thousands of souls and more deaths are expected in the coming weeks. Every death is a tragedy and will leave loved ones grieving. I ask you today to hold those people in your thoughts as well as the essential workers out there today, working to keep us healthy and secure.
"We now have an immediate task before us, to constructively challenge the Government to ensure that people receive the protection they deserve in this crisis, both for their health but also their financial security.
"And then we need to show how we will rebuild their lives after this crisis has passed. Our economic system doesn't deliver on the hopes and aspirations of the majority at the best of times and coronavirus and the climate emergency show just how fragile it is. It is now common sense in the Labour party that to meet these deep challenges, we need the politics of big ideas, and to be confident in our conviction that a more equal society is a stronger and more resilient one..."
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