FORMER MP Faisal Rashid believes new Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will turn Warrington South red again at the next general election.

Mr Rashid lost the seat to Tory Andy Carter in the general election in December.

Sir Keir has been elected as the new party leader, with Angela Rayner as his deputy.

Speaking on Facebook on Saturday following the result, Mr Rashid wished the pair good luck.

He said: “I would like to congratulate Sir Keir Starmer for becoming the leader of our party, the Labour Party.

“This is a wonderful news for our party members and I can see we will win the next general election and Warrington South will be red again.

“My huge congratulations also goes to my dear friend Angela Rayner for becoming the deputy leader of our party.

“This is a combination our party desperately needed.”

Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols, who was backing Rebecca Long-Bailey for the top job, congratulated the new duo in charge.

She tweeted: “In all the shadow cabinet reshuffle news, spare a thought for the staff members for whom this will be a very anxious time waiting to see if they still have a job in the middle of a pandemic. Hope as a party we do right by them.”

Labour borough councillor Tom Jennings labelled Sir Keir’s first speech as ‘bold’, with a ‘passionate and forthright apology’ to the Jewish community.

He said: “After five years of cronyism, recklessness, and nepotism, Labour can once again be an effective opposition and future government.”

Sir Keir said anti-Semitism has been a ‘stain’ on the party following his victory.

He added: “I have seen the grief that it’s brought to so many Jewish communities.

“On behalf of the Labour Party, I am sorry.

“And I will tear out this poison by its roots and judge success by the return of Jewish members and those who felt that they could no longer support us.”