Labour leadership hopeful Rebecca Long-Bailey faces exodus of moderate MPs if she wins party crown

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LABOUR leadership contender Rebecca Long-Bailey faces an exodus of MPs if she wins the party crown.

A walk-out is being plotted by backbenchers if the Shadow Cabinet Minister succeeds.

Labour leadership hopeful Rebecca Long Bailey faces an exodus of MPs if she wins the party crown

The ex-solicitor is second-favourite to win the contest and her campaign was boosted after the support of union Unite.

But one moderate Labour MP said: I will walk out of the party.

I will leave, it will be the end of the party, it will be over.

We all may have our favoured candidate but in reality it has to be Anyone But Becky for the party to survive.

Unite boss Red Len McCluskey said she had the brains and the brilliance to beat Boris Johnson.

She claimed this week that she had no friends among Tory MPs at Westminster and told how she would be disappointed if her friends backed Boris.

Long-Bailey, who was first elected in 2015, is backed by senior party figures John McDonnell and Diane Abbott.

She was one of 36 MPs who lent their support to Jeremy Corbyn nominating him before the 2015 leadership contest.

Sir Keir Starmer is firm favourite to win the leadership at 3/10 with Long-Bailey at 4/1 and Lisa Nandy at 11/2, according to Betfair Exchange.

A source close to the Long-Bailey campaign said: Rebecca has committed to appointing a shadow cabinet that draws on the experience of all parts of the Labour party, and she is committed to all Labour MPs unifying behind a message that can win the next general election.