NEW LABOUR leader Sir Keir Starmer has been fulsome in his praise of the NHS heroes that are bravely fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

He said: “When we get through this it’ll be because of our NHS staff, our care workers, our ambulance drivers, our emergency services, our cleaners, our porters.

“For too long they’ve been taken for granted and poorly paid. They were last and now they should be first.”

He has vowed to lead Labour “into a new era with confidence and hope” after decisively winning the contest to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.

The 57-year old defeated Lisa Nandy and Rebecca Long-Bailey in a ballot of party members and other supporters.

“I want to pay tribute to Jeremy Corbyn, who led our party through some really difficult times”

Labour leader

The lawyer, who became an MP in 2015, won on the first round of voting, with more than 50% of ballots cast.

Gracious

The new Labour leader was also gracious towards much maligned Corbyn.

“I want to pay tribute to Jeremy Corbyn, who led our party through some really difficult times, who energised our movement and who’s a friend as well as a colleague.”

United

The party has been far from united in recent times but the new man has vowed to take it forward.

“I will do my utmost to reconnect us across the country, to re-engage with our communities and voters, to establish a coalition across our towns and our cities and our regions, with all creeds and communities, to speak for the whole of the country.

“To all of our members, supporters and affiliates I say this: whether you voted for me or not I will represent you, I will listen to you and I will bring our party together.”

Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner has been elected deputy leader, replacing Tom Watson, who stood down as an MP before the election.