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Rebecca Long-Bailey, Sir Keir Starmer, Lisa Nandy and Emily Thornberry are left in the contest
Jess Phillips has dropped out of the Labour leadership contest, leaving four candidates in the race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.
In a video message to supporters, the Birmingham Yardley MP argued the next leader had to be able to unite the whole Labour movement.
She said she had to “be honest” with herself – “that person is not me.”
The candidates are vying for union endorsements, with the GMB set to announce who it is supporting shortly.
Ms Phillips missed a hustings organised by the union earlier on Tuesday, prompting speculation that her campaign was in trouble.
She had yet to receive any nominations from trade unions, affiliate bodies or local parties, which are needed for candidates to get on the final ballot.
The BBC’s political correspondent Iain Watson said Ms Phillips, who has long been an outspoken critic of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, could still have an influence on the contest if she decided to endorse another candidate.
In a recent interview with LBC, Ms Phillips said if she couldn’t be leader, she would support one of the other female candidates in the race.
Her now former rivals Lisa Nandy and Emily Thornberry praised her contribution.
Confirming her exit, the 38-year old Ms Phillips said Labour needed a leader “who can unite all parts of our movement, the union movement, members and elected representatives”.
“I have to also be honest with myself, as I said I always would be throughout this campaign. At this time, that person is not me.
“In order to win the country, we are going to have to find a candidate, in this race, who can do all of that, and then take that message out to the country. A message of hope and change, that things can be better.”
She thanked all those who had pledged their support for her, particularly Jewish members of the party who she said she would continue to stand up for.
“I will always speak out and I promise that we will change the problems in our party that we have seen. I’m going to go out into the country and join the fight back.”
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When she entered the contest earlier this month, Ms Phillips called on those who wanted to change Labour after its fourth election defeat in a row to join the party in their thousands.
She insisted she had the “big personality” to change how Labour was seen by the public, but she criticised her own performance in the first members’ hustings last weekend in Liverpool.
So far, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer is the only candidate to have qualified for the final ballot – which begins on 21 February.
To make it to the final stage, the candidates have to secure nominations from 5% of constituency Labour parties (CLPs), or three affiliate groups – two of which must be trade unions – representing at least 5% of affiliated members.
Sir Keir cleared this hurdle after being backed by Unison, the UK’s largest union, and a second union, Usdaw, as well as environmental campaign group Sera.
The GMB will reveal who it is supporting later, having heard from Sir Keir, Ms Nandy, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Ms Thornberry at a two-hour hustings in central London.
Mr Corbyn’s successor will be announced on 4 April.
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