Jim Pickard, Chief Political Correspondent

Chuka Umunna has confirmed he will run for the leadership of the Labour party, pitching himself as a Blairite candidate.
The shadow business secretary is the second person to say he will run, following Liz Kendall the shadow social care minister.
Mr Umunna has said he wanted to build a “big tent” of people from different backgrounds, races, religions and economic circumstances.
He published a Facebook video on Tuesday claiming the Labour party could return to power by the next general election under the right leadership. The video was shot in Swindon, the Wiltshire town where the Conservatives launched their election manifesto and which elected two of the party’s MPs in last week’s general election.
“I think we can and we should be winning in seats like Swindon,” he said.
Mr Umunna began his political career as a member of Compass, a leftwing pressure group.
But the privately educated former City lawyer has since shifted to a more Blairite position, eschewing former leader Ed Miliband’s rhetoric that businesses could be divided into predators and producers.
As shadow business secretary, Mr Umunna has spent the past few years trying to mend bridges with business even as his leader was — in the view of some executives — setting fire to them.
Despite having a limited number of allies among Labour MPs, he should be able to reach the requisite 35 — 15 per cent — to reach the ballot
“Some have actually suggested over the past few days that somehow this is now a 10-year project to get the Labour party back in office,” he said. “I don’t think we can have any truck with that at all, I think the Labour party can do it in five years.”
Mr Umunna, the bookmakers’ favourite for the top job, was the first former shadow cabinet member to criticise Labour’s election campaign after the event.
In an interview on Sunday he said: “We cannot have a message that anybody is too rich or too poor to be a part of our party.” He also admitted Labour was wrong to run a deficit in advance of the financial crisis.
In recent days several Blairite figures, including Lord Mandelson, have made the case for Labour to return to the centre ground.
Lord Mandelson came close to backing Mr Umunna, saying: “He’s got a bit of a way to go but will get there.”
But Harriet Harman, acting leader, has called for an end to blame and scapegoating and launched a “fact-finding” mission into what went wrong.
Other likely candidates include Andy Burnham, shadow health secretary, who is expected to win the backing of the unions.
Tristram Hunt, shadow education secretary, and Yvette Cooper, shadow home secretary, are also expected to run.
Dan Jarvis, another Labour MP, ruled himself out of the race on Monday.
Labour’s national executive committee will meet this week to thrash out the rules of the contest while the unions are racing to sign up “affiliated supporters” who can take part in the voting.
Meanwhile, the repercussions of the party’s defeat continued to reverberate in Scotland, where it lost all but one of its 40 seats.
Alex Rowley, a member of the Scottish Parliament, stepped down as the party’s spokesman on local government in Holyrood in protest at Jim Murphy’s continuation as Labour leader in Scotland.
“We in Scotland need a strong relevant Labour party and we will not achieve this under your leadership,” he wrote in a letter to Mr Murphy.


m.ft.com/cms/s/0/ef26258e-f898-11e4-8e16-00144feab7de.html

www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/12/chuka-umunna-confirms-intention-to-stand-for-labour-leadership

@Lalasticlala

Do you think He stands a chance?

Is he politically ripe?

Is Britain Ready for the First black Prime Minister considering their tilt towards conservatism?

Take note: i will be the happiest Nigerian to see a black man lead our former colonial masters.

What do you think?

ka chuckwunna gozierim gi ututu na abani!! stay save from all em Jand chronic racist

I wish Chuka Umanna the very best. He demonstrates the true Igbo spirit. The Jews will always continue to be blessed despite their persecution around the world. Even though you are persecuted and killed in your home country, it will never deter the successes of the Igbos!

Igbo Kewnu! eeyah!

-CramJones

cramjones:
Igbos

Yeah! Great people

lgbos are like MTN everywhere you go they are there.
Thank God queen Eliza did not threaten him to drown in river Thames if he runs like one lagoon oba.

lgbo Kwenu

Nigerian Igbos be like this Igbo boy is killing it and making us proud
The yorubas be like, Nigerians making us proud in the UK
Where as somewhere in Manchester Chuka Umunna be like i am full blown British

Nigerians will be here fighting themselves and even turn it to some tribal war but the person doesnt even send us

We better forget this tribal ish and move forward

We don't die, rather we MULTIPLY.
We seriously are taking over.



While the jealous Mango-Heads still Envy



PROUD BLACK JEW
IGBO P O W E R!!!!!

cramjones:
I wish Chuka Umanna the very best. He demonstrates the true Igbo spirit. The Jews will always continue to be blessed despite their persecution around the world. Even though you are persecuted and killed in you home country, it will never deter the successes of the Igbos!

-CramJones

Gawa niru Onye Nna..anyi sogi n'azu.
..keep making the Igbo race proud...
Igbo kwezonu o

He is just wasting his time.

If it is a beauty contest, he might have a chance. Unfortunately, it is a leadership contest based on antecedents. He is a showman and attended a mediocre university. He should keep his head down and wait till 2020.

The unions have already publicly denounced him and he does not have much appeal among the rank and file of the party.

He is British born.

Nice

who cares?

You care so much but they don't give a damn about you. They are not after your interest but the people's they seek to serve.

When will you stop all this licking of asses. In their book, you are almost non existent.

Ndi igbo na enye nsogbu

Go on ma ibo nigga

Each time l see some post in NL, l just laugh.
To all d guys dt dedicated themselves to remove tears 4rm my eyes each time l read dia posts,God bless you.
To those dat are learning to make ppl laugh, work hard & u wil get it.
To d programmer, kudos to u.
Pls do not stop cos ur funny updates has changed my depression stage. am alwas eager to read comments from pple b4 l slip.
Furthermore, we shld stop beefing ourselves ova dis politicians cos at d end of the day, na men dey be, dey go still settle dia differences.
Make we manage dis our NL family wella....
l dedicate dis page to my unborn children n my lovely Cherish. esp Nairalanders, una too much.

All things are possible, nobody can hold you back but yourself.

carry on!!! We dey ya back carry on!!!

What is the role of an opposition leader?

He is not Nigerian for the umpteenth tym.
His parents maybe...

I am not surprised...look in his eyes you Will see that ambition baby....

Okk

[size=18pt]Nairaland take away the Nigerian, he is not Nigerian.[/size]




Seun, lalasticlala, take away the Nigerian, he has never been to Nigeria and was not born in Nigeria.



[size=14pt]Chuka Umunna is British![/size]

Good

For the upteenth time,This guy is not a nigerian.

Those. People. Shouting igbo kwenu should find another thread for that.

where are the bad belle pple...so all nigerians can claim the glory of chuka umunna (who happens to be an igbo by tribe) but if it is the other way round,pple will start calling igbo's different names