Corbyn's Brexit chief on track to take Labour helm

Corbyn's Brexit chief on track to take Labour helm

Britain's opposition Labour party is to elect a successor to leftist Jeremy Corbyn.

His Brexit policy chief, Keir Starmer, is way ahead in polls, but he's likely to inherit a deeply divided party.

Lucy Fielder reports.

A fresh start after a crushing electoral defeat: Britain's opposition Labour party elects a new leader Saturday (April 4) to take over from veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn, who pulled the party sharply to the left to the fury of centrists.

Corbyn's Brexit chief, Keir Starmer, is frontrunner to take the helm of a party bitterly divided on how to carry out Brexit, accusations of anti-Semitism within its ranks, and how leftwing the party should be.

It's been a quiet and overshadowed campaign since Britain entered a lockdown that has prompted Boris Johnson's Conservatives to veer into traditional Labour territory -- turning on the spending taps and ending years of austerity.

Starmer, who wants to woo Corbyn supporters and centrists alike, is way ahead in polls - and may not even need a second round.

Behind him are Rebecca Long-Bailey - following in Corbyn's footsteps -- and third-placed Lisa Nandy.

They have all videoed victory speeches, with the usual live event scuppered.

Labour's more than half a million members, trade union affiliates, and registered supporters get to choose.

Starmer is a former director of public prosecutions who was knighted for his services to law and criminal justice.

And he's expected to steer a pro-EU stance, perhaps bringing back free movement for the bloc's citizens.

But some of Corbyn's backers fear he'll also come under pressure to move the party to the center ground -- closer to the Labour Tony Blair led for a decade.