Under-siege Labor leader breaks down in tears as she QUITS after embarrassing by-election defeat – with rising star set to replace her
- Jodi McKay failed miserably in the Upper Hunter by-election
- Labor to replace her with rising star and transport spokesman Chris Minns
- McKay has been leader since mid-2019
NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay welled up as she announced she was stepping down from the top job.
Ms McKay has been under pressure since a bruising by-election defeat in the Upper Hunter on Saturday saw Labor’s primary vote drop by seven per cent.
Ms McKay has previously vowed to hang on to the leadership, following the resignation of popular frontbencher Chris Minns, who is the transport spokesman and a potential leadership challenger, and the shadow treasurer, Walt Secord.
Mr Minns on Wednesday declared his position ‘untenable’ after a ‘dirt file’ was allegedly circulated via the office of deputy leader Yasmin Catley.
Jodi McKay has been under pressure to quit the leadership of the NSW party
Rising star, Chris Minns, is expected to be elected unopposed (above)
A disappointing by-election result in the Upper Hunter on Saturday has also increased the pressure on Ms McKay’s position.
But Mr Minns is yet to publicly challenge Ms McKay for the leadership, having said on Wednesday that he needed to speak with his colleagues.
Ms McKay has insisted neither she nor Ms Catley knew anything about the ‘dirt file’. The staffer who distributed it has been removed.
Since 2013, Labor party rules require 60 per cent of the caucus to vote to unseat a leader, as well as a vote by party members.
As a result, Mr Minns’ path to the leadership would be difficult unless Ms McKay resigns.
Ms McKay defeated Mr Minns for the Labor leadership after the party’s 2019 election defeat, with 29 caucus votes to Mr Minns’ 21.