London, Apr 4 (IANS): The UK's main opposition Labour Party will on Saturday announce the winner of a three-month contest to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as its new leader.

Keir Starmer, the former director of public prosecutions who became an MP in 2015, is the favourite to be elected in a ballot of party members, trade unionists and other supporters, said the BBC.

He is up against fellow shadow cabinet member Rebecca Long-Bailey and Indian-origin Wigan MP Lisa Nandy.

The party will also choose a new deputy leader, with education spokeswoman Angela Rayner seen as the frontrunner.

Members will learn the outcome via e-mail and the media after a planned special conference to unveil the winner was cancelled due the coronavirus pandemic.

The candidates have been asked to record victory speeches, one of which will be released alongside details of how many votes each candidate received.

The process of choosing a new leader began last December after Labour lost its fourth general election in a row.

Following the December 12, 2019 general elections, Corbyn said he would stand down after the party secured its lowest number of seats since 1935.