JESS Phillips threw her hat into ring to become next Labour leader last night – vowing to help “rebuild” the party.
The Birmingham Yardley MP said she was “heartbroken” after exit polls tipped the Tories to win a whopping 368 seats.
A number of key Labour seats have been taken by the Tories, with Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership coming into focus.
Speaking to ITV overnight, Ms Phillips said the Labour party was “never just about” Mr Corbyn – but confirmed she would be ready to help rebuild the party.
Clearly deflated, she said: “The reality is that I will take part in rebuilding the Labour party no matter what happens.”
She added: “We have got to rebuild trust – that’s not just about me, it’s about so much more.
“If people trust me, then yes I will take a role in rebuilding.”
It comes after MPs and former ministers lined up to demand the hard-left leader’s resignation after an exit poll suggested Labour would win a pathetic 191 seats.
Labours predicted total is 71 fewer seats than the 262 the party won in 2017 – and18 fewer than Michael Foot managed in 1983.
“Jess Phillips” has started to trend on Twitter.
Ms Phillips said she had “never expected” the party’s loss to be so bad.
She said: “I wish there was some silver bullet, but I also wish I was size ten.”
Boris Johnson hasbegun to break down Labour’s red wall by winning Blyth Valley, Darlington and Bishop Auckland – some which hadn’t gone blue in nearly 100 year.
The expected results mean Britain’s political chaos could finally be over, leaving Boris with the numbers to finally push his Brexit deal through Parliament in just weeks.
ELECTION DAY ACTION
Earlier, Brits headed to the polls to vote in one of the biggest and most decisive elections ever.
Exit polls put Boris Johnson on course for a majority win with 368 while Labour trailed at just 191.
Prime Minister Mr Johnson, who gambled his premiership by triggering the vote, has sought to focus on his pledge to “get Brexit done” throughout the campaign.
Meanwhile Jeremy Corbyn’s campaign has been overshadowed by anti-Semitism allegations and his refusal to take a stand on Brexit.
Voters had braved freezing temperatures throughout the day to line up outside community halls, churches and schools to have their say – and risked being a touch late for work.
Astonishing pictures of snaking queues came despite initial fears of a low turnout in the first Decemberelectionin nearly 100 years.
The third General Election in less than five yearshas been largely dominated by the 2016 vote to leave the European Union – with Labour pledging to give voters another say in a second referendum, while the Tories have vowed to take the UK out of the EU next month.
The last election in the UK in 2017 saw a 68.8 per cent turnout, higher than at the 2015 and 2010 elections – with bookies offering 6-4 odds on a 65-70 per cent turnout this year.
Boris has pledged to ‘get Brexit done’ throughout the election campaign
Corbyn promised to protect the NHS and bring in more cops
