Jewish Labour Movement backs Wigan MP Lisa Nandy for party leader

It announced the results on Friday after its members were balloted to decide which candidates receive the affiliate’s nomination.

This follows JLM's hustings this week for deputy in Manchester on Tuesday and leader in London on Thursday.

JLM, which has been affiliated to Labour since 1920, conducted a secure online ballot involving thousands of its members.

JLM chairman Mike Katz said: "We would like to thank all of our members for taking part in this process.

"The last few years have been soul destroying for too many Jewish Labour members. We hope that today is the beginning of a healing process.

"I am happy to announce that we will be formally nominating Lisa Nandy for leader and Ian Murray for deputy leader.

"Both demonstrated at our hustings events that they understand the issues facing the party and the need for radical change."

Ms Nandy unveiled an action plan for tackling antisemitism to the Jewish Chronicle on Sunday that included a dramatic overhaul of the party's disciplinary processes.

She said: "The lessons from the last few years are that, from my experience, it is now believed by those questioning whether to remain in the party or who have already left, that there has been no independence in this system at all."

Fellow leadership contender Keir Starmer criticised Labour under Jeremy Corbyn for “turning on its staff” who blew the whistle about antisemitism, joining all the leadership contenders in saying the former officials should receive an apology and financial settlement.

Mr Starmer said he had told Mr Corbyn at the time it was wrong for the party to have put out a statement impugning the motives of former officials in the complaints unit who spoke to the BBC’s Panorama programme.

The ex-staff had told the BBC programme that the leader’s office interfered directly in the complaints process and their experience of the system had left them in despair.

Ms Nandy, who got the biggest applause from the audience at the hustings for her answers, said: “We’ve got to do more than just settle … they are brave and they were accused of being disloyal. But what is more disloyal than not standing up for our Labour values? I would do more than just settle. I will make the Labour party a place that values and celebrates that sort of action.”