Labour MPs Vie To Become Chair Of Enlarged PLP

With John Cryer stepping down from the role of Parliamentary Labour Party chair, the contest to succeed him has begun.

Whoever secures the job will be responsible for heading up the 412 Labour MPs who won seats at last week's General Election — the largest number of Labour MPs elected to Parliament since Tony Blair's victory in 2005. The role is similar to the 1922 Committee chair position in the parliamentary Conservative party.

Jessica Morden, the Labour MP for Newport East and current parliamentary private secretary to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is regarded to be the No 10 preference for the post. Clive Efford, chair of the Tribune group of MPs, has told colleagues he will also run.

Morden is the favourite to win, as the vast number of new Labour MPs are thought likely to go with the leadership’s choice. She has also built up a good reputation as Starmer’s PPS.

“People like her. She’s very fair,” said a Labour MP supportive of Morden. “If she wins, No 10 shouldn’t take it as a sign of their own success. It’ll be because of the following she’s built up over the years by listening.”

Praising her approach to the PPS role, they added: “If you wanted to meet with Keir, she would arrange it. She was very open, and whenever you asked for something she tried her best.”

Efford is understood to have messaged many colleagues about his bid and is thought well-placed to secure the backing of Black and Asian MPs, described by one source as “very anti-establishment right now” due to anger over the party’s Gaza positioning. Efford “took the leadership to task on Gaza” at a recent meeting, one MP said.

As the alternative to the No 10 candidate, the Tribune chair may also get votes from Labour left MPs.

“I actually like Jess. But seems