Labour leadership hopeful says she would vote to abolish the monarchy

Lisa Nandy has said she would vote to abolish the monarchy in any future referendum on the Royal Family.

The Labour leadership candidate's stance was at odds with the two other candidates who remain in the running to succeed Jeremy Corbyn: Sir Keir Starmer and Rebecca Long-Bailey.

However, during a live Channel 4 debate, all three politicians said the issue was not a priority.

Asked if he would vote to scrap the monarchy in a Channel 4 News TV debate, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said: "No, I wouldn't. I think I'd downsize it."

Rebecca Long-Bailey, the shadow business secretary, replied: "I think we have got more important things to worry about. I wouldn't vote to abolish the monarchy."

But Ms Nandy responded during the quickfire questions round: "I'm a democrat, so I would vote to scrap it. But this is not the priority of the country."

Later on she said "I'd quite like to see Queen Meghan", after the outgoing Duchess of Sussex and partner Prince Harry revealed plans to renounce their royal titles.

When asked about their favourite Labour leader of the last 50 years, Sir Keir named Harold Wilson, while Ms Long-Bailey did not name one.

Ms Nandy went for who she called the leader that never was - for decades the longest-serving female MP, Barbara Castle.

Ballots are being sent out to around 500,000 members for the election to become Labour leader officially starting on Friday 21 February.

The winner will be revealed at a special conference on Saturday 4 April.

Simultaneously, members will be voting for a deputy leader to replace Tom Watson, who stood down as an MP at the election.

All of those candidates - Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Richard Burgon, Ian Murray, Angela Rayner and Dawn Butler - got enough nominations to secure a place on the ballot paper.