A SLATE of left-leaning candidates have been elected on to Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) – but comedian Eddie Izzard failed to secure a seat.
Six spaces on the NEC for representatives from constituency Labour parties have been filled, and all six winners are deemed to be on the left in what many will see as a boost for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Those elected are Ann Black, Christine Shawcroft, Claudia Webbe, Darren Williams, Rhea Wolfson and Peter Willsman.
Izzard, a prominent Labour supporter, fell short of securing one of the seats.
Responding to the election of the six new members, a spokesman for the Jeremy for Labour campaign said: “Our campaign would like to congratulate those new members to the Labour Party’s NEC, and thank those former members who have served our party, and also thank those members who stood unsuccessfully.
“This result clearly shows that there is a desire for real and genuine change in our party under the continued leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, but we are not going to take anything for granted and we will be campaigning for every vote in the leadership contest.”
The NEC consists of the Labour leader, deputy leader, frontbenchers, trade union representatives, constituency party representatives, councillors and members of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
Izzard tweeted: “Obviously disappointed not to get elected to Labour’s NEC but I’m in this for the long haul. I will carry on being an activist!”
He thanked all the people who voted for him as he pledged to “keep heading forwards”.
Izzard finished eighth in the ballot with 70,993 votes.
Black received 100,999 votes, Shawcroft 97,510, Webbe 92,377, Williams 87,003, Wolfson 85,687 and Willsman 81,863.
Ellie Reeves lost her seat on the NEC after she came seventh in the ballot with 72,514 votes.
She tweeted: “Thanks to the 72,514 who voted for me. Been a privilege to serve members on the NEC for 10 years. Now the next chapter of my life begins.”
The Corbyn-supporting Momentum campaign group welcomed the election results, tweeting: “Well done to the 6 left-wing candidates elected on to Labour’s NEC! Thank you to everyone who voted for them.”
Webbe tweeted that she was “deeply humbled” to be elected and expressed "huge thanks to all who voted for social justice & change".
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