The Eagle has FINALLY landed! Angela Eagle launches desperate bid to topple Jeremy Corbyn but she's branded the 'Empire Strikes Back' candidate by his allies Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3684188/The-Eagle-FINALLY-landed-Angela-Eagle-launches-desperate-bid-topple-Jeremy-Corbyn-s-branded-Empire-Strikes-candidate-allies.html#ixzz4E80bsXCb Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Angela Eagle today launched her bid to be Labour leader but one of Jeremy Corbyn's closest allies branded her the 'Empire Strikes Back' candidate.

Ms Eagle confirmed she had lodged nomination papers with Labour's National Executive Committee to trigger the leadership contest, less than a year after Mr Corbyn won the job by a landslide.

But shadow health secretary Diane Abbott today suggested Ms Eagle was battling like Darth Vader to keep Mr Corbyn off the ballot paper. 

And Len McCluskey, the Unite leader who tried to broker peace talks within the party last week, today branded the challenge a 'squalid coup'. 

Labour MPs are desperate to try and keep Mr Corbyn off the ballot for fear he will win again and want at least to force him to get nominations from MPs and MEPs to enter the contest.

Leaving home today, Ms Eagle said: 'I have lodged my papers with the General Secretary (Iain McNicol) today to launch this challenge.

'I am very much looking forward to launching my campaign.'

Mr Corbyn refused to comment on the contest when he was met by reporters as he left home this morning.

In a television interview yesterday, Mr Corbyn suggested he would even be prepared to sue his own party for the right to get on the ballot - after making the extraordinary claim Labour was doing well under his stewardship.

In the past fortnight alone, Mr Corbyn has faced 65 front bench resignations and overwhelmingly lost a vote of no confidence.

Ms Eagle had repeatedly threatened to launch her challenge only to back off to allow more time for efforts to ease Mr Corbyn out gracefully.