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Chuka Umunna withdrew his candidature in less than a week after throwing hat into the ring. Photo: Press Association
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An up-and-coming British politician who was considered a front-runner to
replace Labour leader Ed Miliband abruptly withdrew from the contest Friday,
saying he had underestimated the intense scrutiny to which he would be
subjected.
Chuka Umunna, who announced his
leadership bid just three days ago, blamed the "added level of pressure
that comes with being a leadership candidate."
Press Association reports:
"I have not found it to be a
comfortable experience," Umunna, 36, said in a statement. "Most
importantly, I continued to have very real concerns and worry about this bid's
impact on those close to me."
British news media was awash with
unsourced reports following the surprise withdrawal, both that a Sunday
newspaper was preparing to release damaging information about Umunna and
denials from his camp that this was the case.
Umunna, a lawyer, is the party's
business spokesman. A relative newcomer to the party, he has risen quickly in
its ranks since he was first elected to Parliament five years ago.
Umunna was one of five Labour
politicians who threw their hat in the ring in the past few days after Miliband
resigned last week amid the party's election defeat.
Miliband stepped down after his party
lost almost all of its seats in Scotland to the separatist Scottish National
Party and ran well behind the winning Conservatives elsewhere.
Nominations for leadership close in
June. The new leader will be chosen through a postal ballot of party members
and supporters, and announced on Sept. 12.
The last Labour government was led by Gordon
Brown from 2007 to 2010.
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