Kim Leadbeater’s win, in the face of aggression and dishonesty, was about uniting people. That is what my party stands for
- Keir Starmer is leader of the Labour party
- Party leader hails Kim Leadbeater as the future of Labour
When I was with Kim Leadbeater in Batley and Spen a few weeks ago, I was struck by two things. First, that I had never seen such warmth and affection for a candidate from local people. Whether we were in the high street or having dinner in a local pub, people came up to say hello, to wish the campaign well and to offer their support. These weren’t traditional Labour voters, but people from across the local community – people who hadn’t voted Labour for years, but knew Kim was one of their own. Someone who would always put Batley and Spen first.
But I was also struck by the toxic atmosphere that hung over the byelection. The intimidation, hatred and lies that seeped into the contest and threatened to dominate it. A few days later we would see all too clearly the consequences of this, with violence and aggression against Kim, our activists and our members. That this should happen in Batley and Spen, of all places, and to Kim, of all candidates, was disgraceful.
