Clive Lewis fails to rule out a future run for the Labour leadership as he gives Jeremy Corbyn 75% chance of winning an election
Speculation has grown former shadow Cabinet Minister could be preparing tilt at top job after resigning over Brexit bill
CLIVE Lewis has failed to rule out a future run for the Labour leadership as he gave Jeremy Corbyn a 75% chance of leading the party back to power.
Speculation has grown the former shadow Cabinet Minister could be preparing a tilt at the top job after resigning so he could defy his boss’ orders and vote against triggering the formal Brexit process.
The MP for Norwich South said he remains supportive of Mr Corbyn, but told BBC Radio 5's Pienaar's Politics show that he would not rule out one day running to be leader.
He said: "Never say never, I will say that. But at this moment in time we have a twice democratically elected leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
"I'm still supportive of Jeremy Corbyn. I will be doing all I can along with the rest of my colleagues in the Labour Party to varying degrees to make sure that he becomes the next prime minister of this country. There is no ifs, no buts. That's where I am."
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Mr Lewis said speculation over a possible leadership bid had "annoyed me greatly" as he insisted he had done nothing to fuel it.
He was asked if he would be willing to step up in the future, replying: "I think you have to keep the option open.
"It doesn't mean that you will, but you have to keep the option open."
Meanwhile, the former shadow business secretary said it was "possible" that rumours around a leadership bid were being circulated by allies of Mr Corbyn to try and undermine Mr Lewis.
He said: "It's possible. If your name keeps coming up then you are going to be a target for people who have their own agendas and you may not be part of that agenda and that's inevitable, that's part of politics.
"But I'm not going to sit here and say there's some kind of big conspiracy to use me as a destabiliser but it's a factor that it could be true. That's politics and that's how it works. I don't like it."
Mr Lewis was asked how confident he is on a scale of one to 100 that Mr Corbyn can turn the polls around and lead Labour to a general election victory in 2020, answering: "I would say I'm 75% hopeful it can happen."
Meanwhile the Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell categorically ruled himself out of a future run for the leadership, insisting Mr Corbyn will lead Labour into the 2020 general election as he said possible leadership successors needed to gain "more experience".
He made the claim after being asked about a push to change Labour rules to make it easier for a left wing candidate to make it onto the ballot paper in a future leadership election.
Speaking to the Andrew Marr Show he said: "Let's get this clear. I want to be absolutely clear: John McDonnell will not stand for the Labour leadership ever in the future again, full stop. I have made that clear time and time again."
He continued: "Jeremy Corbyn will lead us into the next election.
"Of course we are building up a succession for the long term future and we have got some really great young talent coming through but they need more experience before eventually they will succeed."
Meanwhile, senior Labour MP Hilary Benn echoed Mr McDonnell's call for unity as he also ruled out a bid for the leadership.
The chairman of the Brexit Select Committee told the Sophy Ridge on Sunday show on Sky News: "I'm not standing to be leader of the Labour Party and there isn't a vacancy because Jeremy is the leader and has been re-elected by the party members."