New Statesman

Steve Reed came to parliament later than planned. In 2008, as the leader of Lambeth Council, he was the favourite to win the Labour nomination in Streatham but was defeated by one Chuka Umunna (who ran as a Compass-backed “soft left” candidate). Their paths since illustrate the vagaries of political life. Umunna, who left Labour to form the Independent Group and later joined the Liberal Democrats, is no longer in politics at all (he now leads JP Morgan’s sustainable finance arm). Reed, who stayed loyal to his party throughout the wilderness years, is Environment Secretary.