London:With Jeremy Corbyn announcing his resignation as Labour Party leader after the election debacle, seven MPs, six of them women, have joined in the race to head the party. Among them is Lisa Nandy, the Indian-origin MP from Wigan in the north-west of England.
"The honest answer is that I am seriously thinking about it," the 40-year-old MP told BBC in an interview, citing the shattering defeat as the reason behind her run. Nandy, who was Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change in the past, took a more backseat role in recent times amid growing criticism of the Corbyn-led faction of the Labour Party.
Besides Nandy, other women MPs who have declared their intention to contest the leadership battle are Jess Phillips, Emily Thornberry, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Angela Rayner and Yvette Cooper.
Jeremy Corbyn tweeted on Saturday, "We have suffered a heavy defeat, and I take my responsibility for it. Whoever becomes the new leader, our movement will continue to work for a more equal and just society, and a sustainable and peaceful world."
The Boris Johnson led Conservatives picked up 47 seats, biggest majority since Margaret Thatcher's win in 1987. The Conservatives now have an 80-seat majority after snaring 365 seats in the 650-seat chamber, giving Johnson a firm mandate. The opposition Labour Party suffered its worst defeat in more than 80 years, losing 59 seats.(UNI)