More than 100 Labour councillors from across the East of England have signed a letter calling for Sir Keir Starmer to become the next party leader as officials prepare to send out ballot papers to members.

The signatories include Ipswich council leader David Ellesmere, the leader of the Labour opposition at Suffolk County Council Sarah Adams and the Labour group leaders on both East and West Suffolk councils Peter Byatt and Diane Hind.

It has also been backed by the leader of the Labour group on Essex County Council, former Harwich MP Ivan Henderson.

The open letter calls on party members to back Sir Keir as "the best person to unite the Labour Party, take on the Tories and defeat Boris Johnson at the next election".

The letter praises his experience of having done a top job outside of politics and suggests he would be the best person to "forensically" take apart "Boris Johnson's bluster".

It says: "We think another future is possible for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk."

Suffolk county councillor Jack Abbott said: "Labour councillors are on the front line fighting against Tory austerity and the cuts to our public services. In a region that is sorely lacking Labour representation in Westminster, it is often left to us to stand up for our communities.

"It is crucially important that the next Labour leader values, supports and builds upon the work we are doing in local government - clearly, with over one hunderd councillors backing him, we believe that Keir Starmer is the candidate who will do just that."

Mr Ellesmere said: "Labour's next leader must rebuild trust and inspire confidence in our party, be a strong voice in opposition and win the next general election. I and many of my colleagues believe that the candidate who will meet these challenges head on is Keir Starmer."

The letter is being released to coincide with the Labour Party's East of England Conference and comes after 40 out of 58 CLPs in the region nominated Sir Keir.

It says: "We believe that Keir Starmer is the best person to unite the Labour Party, take on the Tories and defeat Boris Johnson at the next election.

"Keir has promised to stay radical and relevant - he opposes austerity, supports common ownership and believes public services belong in public hands.

"His values shine through: we have seen how as a lawyer how he has defended striking miners, the couple who were sued for libel by McDonalds and supported Doreen Lawrence in her fight for justice after the murder of her son Stephen.

"As the former Director of Public Prosecutions he has the experience of doing a tough job. He is the person we need forensically taking apart Boris Johnson's bluster.

"As councillors we are very aware of important council and Police and Crime Commissioner elections less than 100 days away, so our next leader must be ready to have the qualities required to reconnect with communities where the party needs to win to get back into government.

"Keir has a vision for an outward looking, fairer and successful Britain which chimes with ours, because we think, another future is possible for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk."

The signatories are:

Jack Abbott, Suffolk County Council

Sarah Adams, Leader of the Labour Group, Suffolk County Council

Raja Naveed Ahmed, Luton Borough Council

Waheed Akbar, Luton Borough Council

Ian Albert, North Hertfordshire District Council

Helen Armitage, Suffolk County Council; Ipswich Borough Council

Sue Bale, Woodbridge Town Council

Sarah Barber, Ipswich Borough Council

Dr Tim Barrett, Brentwood Borough Council

Gareth Barrett, Brentwood Borough Council

Nigel Bell, Leader of the Labour Group, Watford Borough Council; Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, Hertfordshire County Council

Judi Billing MBE, Leader of the Labour Group, Hertfordshire County Council; North Hertfordshire District Council

Carol Borg, Great Yarmouth Borough Council

Tina Bourne, Colchester Borough Council

Lenny Brandon, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council

Mike Brindle, Breckland Council

James Broach, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council

Rob Broom, Stevenage Borough Council

Val Bryant, North Hertfordshire District Council

David Burton-Sampson, Basildon Council

Richard Butler, Hertsmere Borough Council

Sally Button, Norwich City Council

Peter Byatt, Leader of the Labour Group, East Suffolk Council

Garry Calver, Tendring District Council

Alan Chesterman, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council

Lynn Chesterman OBE, Hertfordshire County Council; Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council

Harry Clarke, Breckland Council; Dereham Town Council

Stephen Connelly, Ipswich Borough Council

Martin Cook, Ipswich Borough Council

John Cook, Ipswich Borough Council

Daniel Cowan, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

Steve Cox, Three Rivers District Council

Mike Davey, Cambridge City Council

Bill Davidson, Tendring District Council

Mike Deacon, East Suffolk Council

Rebecca Denness, City of Ely Council

Tony Durcan, Harlow Council

Tony Edwards, Harlow Council

Elango Elavalakan, Ipswich Borough Council

David Ellesmere, Leader of Ipswich Borough Council

Maria Fowler, Tendring District Council

Tess Gandy, East Suffolk Council

Peter Gardiner, Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, Suffolk County Council; Ipswich Borough Council

Katherine Gardner, St Albans City and District Council

Ian Gilbert, Leader of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

Adam Giles, Norwich City Council

Louise Gooch, East Suffolk Council

Natasha Harpley, Leader of the Labour Group, Broadland District Council

Gail Harris, Deputy Leader of Norwich City Council

Eugenie Harvey, Deputy Leader of Harlow Council

Glyn Hayes, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council

Darren Heaps, Ipswich Borough Council

Ivan Henderson, Leader of the Labour Group, Essex County Council and Tendring District Council; Harwich Town Council

Jo Henderson, Tendring District Council

Diane Hind, Leader of the Labour Group, West Suffolk Council; Bury St Edmunds Town Council

Kevin Hind, Bury St Edmunds Town Council

Gary Howman, King's Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council

Jacob Huntley, Norwich City Council

Javeria Hussain, Luton Borough Council

Javed Hussain, Luton Borough Council

Mohammed Jamil, Peterborough City Council

Terry Jermy, Leader of the Labour Group, Breckland Council; Norfolk County Council; Thetford Town Council

Richard Johnson, Cambridge City Council

Carole Jones, Ipswich Borough Council

Aasiyah Jospeh, Peterborough City Council

Patrick Kadewere, Leader of the Labour Group, Huntingdonshire District Council

Paul Kendrick, Norwich City Council

Martin Kerin, Thurrock Council

Aslam Khan, Luton Borough Council

Asif Khan, Hertfordshire County Council; Watford Borough Council

Colin Kreidewolf, Ipswich Borough Council

Mike Larkins, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council

Cyril Liddy, Colchester Borough Council

John Lloyd, Stevenage Borough Council

Neil MacDonald, Ipswich Borough Council

Kevin Maguire, Norwich City Council

Daniel Maguire, Ipswich Borough Council

Patrick Manning, Norwich City Council

Bilqees Mauthoor, Watford Borough Council

Russ McPherson, Cambridge City Council

Elisa Meschini, Cambridgeshire County Council, Cambridge City Council

Sophie Meudec, Ipswich Borough Council

Sharon Miller, Woodbridge Town Council

Stefan Mullard, Harlow Council

Chris Myers, Hertsmere Borough Council

Shaz Nawaz, Peterborough City Council

Jeremy Newmark, Leader of the Labour Group, Hertsmere Borough Council

George Nobbs, Norfolk County Council

Carina O'Reilly, Cambridge City Council

Helen Oliver, North Hertfordshire District Council

Malachy Pakenham, Leader of the Labour Group, St Albans City and District Council

Charlie Powell, Harwich Town Council

Dr Shabina Qayyum, Peterborough City Council

Bill Quinton, Suffolk County Council

Carolyn Redfern, East Herts Council

Steve Richardson, Harwich Town Council

Alasdair Ross, Ipswich Borough Council

Bryony Rudkin, Deputy Leader of Ipswich Borough Council

Chrissie Rumsby, Norfolk County Council

Roger Ryan, Norwich City Council

Mike Sands, Norfolk County Council; Norwich City Council

Sue Sands, Norwich City Council

Jane Sarmezey, Norwich City Council

Margaret Saunders, Harwich Town Council

Lee Scordis, Essex County Council; Colchester Borough Council

Christine Shaw, Ipswich Borough Council

Colin Smart, Ipswich Borough Council

Philip Smart, Ipswich Borough Council

David Smith, Harwich Town Council

Richard Smith, Watford Borough Council

Jenny Smith, Ipswich Borough Council

Janet Smith, St Albans City and District Council

Dave Taylor, Luton Borough Council

Sharon Taylor OBE, Leader of Stevenage Borough Council; Hertfordshire County Council

Alan Todd, Harwich Town Council

Lucy Trenchard, Ipswich Borough Council

James Valentine, Bedford Borough Council

Chris Vince, Harlow Council

Michelle Vince, Hertsmere Borough Council

Yasmin Waheed, Luton Borough Council

Phil Waite, Harlow Council

Cara Walker, Great Yarmouth Borough Council

Alan Waters, Leader of Norwich City Council

Bernard Williamson, Great Yarmouth Borough Council

Colin Wright, Ipswich Borough Council

Tony Wright, Great Yarmouth Borough Council