Jeremy Corbyn comes off fence to back Rebecca Long-Bailey in race for Labour leader
Jeremy Corbyn abandoned his pledge to stay neutral during the Labour leadership race as his protégé fights for second place.
The current Labour leader said Rebecca Long-Bailey would have his “absolute support” in a video released on her social media today.
In the clip, showing Ms Long-Bailey being interviewed by Mr Corbyn in Westminster, she tells him: “And obviously, when I’m leader of the party, you’ll be there supporting me as a green revolutionary.”
He replies: “Absolute support.”
Mr Corbyn has previously suggested he would be staying out of the contest, telling the BBC: “I won’t be saying who I’ll be voting for.”
Left-winger Ms Long-Bailey has also dismissed claims she was the “continuity Corbyn candidate”.
It comes as the frontrunner, Sir Keir Starmer, was under increasing pressure to join rivals Lisa Nandy and Ms Long-Bailey in publishing a list of donors to his campaign.
A spokesman for Sir Keir said they had submitted their next tranche of donations to Parliament in line with the rules set out by Labour’s governing body and they expect it will be published next week.
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