'Scrutiny and attention' forces Chuka Umunna to withdraw from the Labour leadership battle

Labour leadership frontrunner Chuka Umunna this morning dramatically withdrew from the race to succeed Ed Miliband - blaming the 'scrutiny' he faced in the 72 hours since launching his campaign.

The 36-year-old MP for Streatham in south London - once described as 'Britain's Barack Obama' - said he could not cope with the 'pressure that comes with being a leadership candidate'.

Mr Umunna had been installed as the early favourite to take over the party after launching his campaign on Tuesday. 

The shadow business secretary said he was the right man to save the party and insisted he could win the next general election in 2020.

But just three days later, Mr Umunna announced he was quitting because he was uncomfortable with the level of scrutiny he and his family were facing - including his new girlfriend Alice Sullivan.

Mr Umunna said he could not cope with the 'pressure that comes with being a leadership candidate'.

In a statement released this morning, Mr Umunna apologised to his supporters - and insisted he intended to carry on serving in Labour's shadow cabinet.

MailOnline understands he had already made his decision yesterday morning, less than 48 hours after announcing his leadership bid in an online video filmed in Swindon.

Mr Umunna's aides spent all of yesterday trying to convince him to stay in the race, but he was adamant that he wanted to quit.

One close ally said he had spoken to Mr Umunna this morning following the announcement. He said: 'You can tell in his voice immediately that it's not something he regrets at all.'

In Mr Umunna's announcement this morning he claimed that the focus on himself and his family had come as a shock to him.

He said: 'Shortly before the election campaign, I made the decision, in the event that Labour was defeated and a new Leader was to be elected, to stand for the leadership of the party if there was a desire in the party for me to do so.

'I dearly hoped Labour would win the election and it was a decision I would not have to implement. I also thought I understood the scrutiny and attention a leadership contest would bring.'

But Mr Umunna added: 'Since the night of our defeat last week I have been subject to the added level of pressure that comes with being a leadership candidate.

'I have not found it to be a comfortable experience. Consequently after further reflection I am withdrawing my candidacy.'

Sources close to Mr Umunna insisted that his withdrawal was not due to any negative story which he expects to appear in the media. 

His team were confident that he would secure the 35 nominations from fellow MPs required to mount a leadership bid, but he decided that it was not the right time for him to press ahead.

Mr Umunna is not at this stage endorsing any other candidate for the leadership.

He said he wished to continue playing a full role in the shadow cabinet. 

The unexpected withdrawal means there are now four declared candidates: Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham; shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, shadow international development secretary Mary Creagh; and shadow health minister Liz Kendall.

Under a timetable drawn up by the party earlier this week, nominations for leader close on June 15. Members and supporters who sign up by August 12 will be entitled to vote and the result will be announced on September 12.

Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt said he was 'interested in the leadership' of the party on BBC Question Time but stopped short of declaring his candidacy.

Former culture secretary Ben Bradshaw, who is reportedly considering running for the Labour party deputy leadership, said Mr Umunna was a 'terrible loss' to the field because he was the candidate the Conservatives 'feared the most'.

He told Sky News the shadow business secretary's decision to pull out of the race was 'absolutely tragic' and said his reason for doing so was a 'sad indictment' on society.

But he insisted the field remained strong, adding: 'We are blessed in the Labour Party. We have a strong field of candidates.

'I'm sure when the dust settles on this, the public will have a chance to look at them.'

He said he had not yet decided who he would back, but admitted he had been seriously considering Mr Umunna.

Labour's election campaign vice-chairwoman Lucy Powell wrote on Twitter: 'Chuka Umunna is a talented and decent politician. Whatever has led him to withdraw, it can't be right he's been driven to it by intrusion.'

Some Labour figures questioned whether Dan Jarvis - the Para-turned-politician who ruled himself out of the contest to concentrate on family life - could re-enter the frame.

Bassetlaw MP John Mann wrote on Twitter of the Barnsley Central MP: 'With Chuka withdrawing - a credible option according to some in my area - can Dan Jarvis not be persuaded to reconsider?'

He suggested: 'Make it possible for him to do fatherhood and leadership and move party HQ to Yorkshire.'

This is the second significant leadership U-turn since the general election, coming just days after Nigel Farage withdrew his resignation as Ukip leader.

CHUKA'S STATEMENT IN FULL 

'Shortly before the election campaign, I made the decision, in the event that Labour was defeated and a new Leader was to be elected, to stand for the leadership of the party if there was a desire in the party for me to do so.

'I dearly hoped Labour would win the election and it was a decision I would not have to implement.

'I also thought I understood the scrutiny and attention a leadership contest would bring.

'As a member of the Shadow Cabinet, I am used to a level of attention which is part and parcel of the job. I witnessed the 2010 leadership election process close up and thought I would be comfortable with what it involved.

'However since the night of our defeat last week I have been subject to the added level of pressure that comes with being a leadership candidate.

'I have not found it to be a comfortable experience.

'One can imagine what running for leader can be like, understand its demands and the attention but nothing compares to actually doing it and the impact on the rest of one's life.

'Consequently after further reflection I am withdrawing my candidacy.

'I apologise to all those who have kindly supported and encouraged me to do this and for disappointing them. I know this will come as I surprise to many but I had always wondered whether it was all too soon for me to launch this leadership bid - I fear it was.

'Most importantly, I continued to have very real concerns and worry about this bid's impact on those close to me.

'I intend to carry on playing my full role as a proud member of our Shadow Cabinet taking on the Tories. I also hope to play a leading role in Labour's campaign to keep the UK in the EU during the forthcoming referendum which is absolutely crucial. Most importantly, I will as ever continue to serve the area I know and love - the Streatham parliamentary constituency.'