UPDATED - Mary Creagh to stand in race to be leader of the Labour Party

Ms Creagh joins Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford MP Yvette Cooper in the battle to replace former leader Ed Miliband who announced his resignation following the general election result.

Labour lost 56 seats in Scotland to the Scottish National Party and won almost 100 fewer seats across the UK than the Conservatives.

Ms Creagh and Ms Cooper join Streatham MP Chuka Umunna, Andy Burnham and Liz Kendall.

In last week’s general election Ms Creagh secured her third term as MP for Wakefield in a campaign that was believed to be much closer than the result suggested.

Ms Creagh won 17,301 votes although earlier in the evening her rivals were suggesting she maybe in trouble.

She said: “I want to win back the trust of middle class voters, Scots and those tempted by UKIP. I want a country where aspiration and compassion go hand in hand.”

The former shadow health minister increased her majority.

In the 2010 elections it was 1,613 but after last week’s election it is now 2,613.

Speaking after the result was announced Ms Creagh said: “I am absolutely thrilled to serve a third term. We have had a very difficult and disappointing night in Scotland.

“We want to work together to make sure that the Wakefield district economy continues to grow for every person in Wakefield not just a chosen few. “

Tory candidate Antony Calvert finished second with 14,688 votes.