Labour leadership battle: Mary Creagh joins race to head troubled party





Ms Creagh joins Liz Kendall, Chuka Umunna, Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper in the battle to replace Ed Miliband

MP Mary Creagh
Candidate: MP Mary Creagh, shadow secretary of state for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Shadow international development secretary Mary Creagh has joined the race to be Labour leader, becoming the fifth candidate to declare candidacy.
Ms Creagh joins Liz Kendall, Chuka Umunna, Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper in the battle to replace Ed Miliband in the wake of last week's devastating General Election defeat.
The Coventry-raised 47-year-old says she wants to win back the support of Middle England, Scotland and the party's former engineering heartland.



She told the Daily Mail: "We forgot the hard-learned lessons of our last three election victories; that to win elections a party needs to offer hope.
"Labour lost the General Election because people did not trust us with the economy.
"People trust Labour to look after their schools, hospitals and council services. But they simply do not trust us to run the economy and make them better off.
"That must change.
Nominations for leader close on June 15 and for deputy on June 17 and members and supporters who sign up by August 12 will be entitled to vote.
The result will be announced on September 12.
Mr Burnham, the Shadow Health Secretary, is the early favourite to take over.

Getty Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham speaks during a poster launch and Q and A with Shadow Minister for Care and Older People Liz Kendall and Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls to mark the launch of NHS week on April 20, 2015 in London, England
Contender: Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham
Yesterday he announced his bid with a video message to set out his stall for the top job.



In a swipe at the left and the right of the party, he said Labour could not just speak to one group of voters.






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On Monday Mr Umunna said the party must help David Cameron win the best possible deal ahead of a referendum on Europe.
He confirmed in a Facebook video he was joining the contest then warned Labour must act “in the national interest”.