Literally queues of members stretched out of Bridgwater Town Hall tonight for the Leadership debate as Bridgwater and West Somerset Labour Party debated and then voted for leader and deputy leader of the Party. After a passionate hour or so of discussion with member after member standing up for 3 minutes and extolling the virtue of their favourite it became clear that it was a 2 horse race. With Emily Thornberry eliminated in the first round and Lisa Nandy in the second it was down to a Long Bailey v Starmer tussle at the top. By a margin of 5 the vote went to Keir Starmer who now becomes the official nomination from Bridgwater and West Somerset CLP.
Dawn Butler for Deputy
The vote for Deputy leader was even closer with Rosena Allin-Khan eliminated in the first round and Ian Murray in the second then top Leeds boy Richard Burgon in the 3rd it was Dawn Butler or Angela Rayner in the final.
By one vote the nomination went to Dawn Butler.
How the vote was worked out
NEC Section
Members also nominated Lauren Townsend and Leigh Drennan for the NEC CLP section positions and then Mehmood Mirza for the BAME representative.
Great to see such a packed meeting and some passionate debate amidst calls for Unity , Socialism and Smashing the Tories.
The Long and Winding Road to Socialism
