ANGELA EAGLE DROPS OUT - IT'S CORBYN VS SMITH
It has finally been decided: Owen Smith will do battle with Jeremy Corbyn in the upcoming Labour leadership contest after Angela Eagle dropped out of the race on Tuesday afternoon, according to ITV's Robert Peston.
Smith and Eagle had previously agreed that whoever received the least amount of votes from Labour MPs and MEPs should pull out of the race and let the other challenge Corbyn alone. This means that the anti-Corbyn vote will not be split across two candidates.
Business Insider reported on Monday that Smith was the more popular "unity" candidate among Labour MPs who want to see Corbyn replaced.
"I'm withdrawing from this race and supporting Owen. I am supporting him with all of my enthusiasm and might," Eagle said in Westminster shortly before 17:30 p.m (BST).
Smith received support from 90 Labour parliamentarians, while Eagle received 70, according to the Guardian. The New Stateman's George Eaton is reporting that the party will not disclose the details of how Labour MPs voted.
A YouGov poll published on Monday night indicated that Corbyn would defeat Smith in a head-to-head election by over 20 points.
The result of the leadership contest will be announced on September 24.