The position of Secretary General of the British Labour Party has been won by a firm ally of the party's leader Jeremy Corbyn, further cementing the left-factions hold against the "moderate centrist" faction. Jennie Formby succeeded with the overwhelming support of the newly elected National Executive Committee (NEC) has also come to be dominated by allies of the Labour leader.
It's a huge honour to be chosen as @UKLabour's next General Secretary. I will do everything in my power to repay that honour by working tirelessly with all in our great Party to elect a Labour Government led by #JeremyCorbyn at the earliest opportunity #ForTheMany
— Jennie Formby (@JennieUnite) March 20, 2018
Ms. Formby's candidacy was further bolstered by the withdrawal from the race of the leading candidate, Len McCluskey, a co-founder of the grassroots Labour movement Momentum which has been instrumental in mobilizing popular support for Mr. Corbyn in the face of repeated leadership challenges from many of his own fellow Labour MPs.
Unite's Jennie Formby confirmed as new Labour general secretary. PLP now the only non-Corbynite pillar (the left control the leadership, the NEC and Labour HQ).
— George Eaton (@georgeeaton) March 20, 2018
Jennie Formby has told Labour staff this morning she won’t tolerate attacks on them, and condemned yesterdays protest, it’s understood, when speaking at party HQ
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) March 21, 2018
And Jennie Formby I understand met staff at #labour hq in be past hour with chair Ian Lavery and outgoing gen sec Iain McNicol and said she wouldn't tolerate attacks on party workers and condemned yesterday's demo when some on the Left called for more staff to go
— iain watson (@iainjwatson) March 21, 2018
The new Secretary General served as director of the Unite union from 2013 to 2016 and is believed to be committed to deepening the party's reliance on grassroots campaigns such as Momentum in order to unseat Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May's Government.
Labour is expected to do well in London's upcoming council elections on May 3, with some projections showing the Conservatives losing control of all municipal councils in the capital, possibly providing the trigger for a challenge to the Prime Minister from within the Conservative Party.
