Veteran MLA Jenny Kwan says she will stand behind Adrian Dix as the B.C. NDP’s new leader.

Kwan, MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, says the party is united and moving forward with Dix at the helm.

“Whoever the membership elects is the leader that I’m going to support and I’ve stated that right from the outset and I reaffirmed that with Adrian and I know he knows that,” Kwan told the Straight today (April 18) by phone.

“He has the support of the caucus and we’re all going to move forward behind him 100 percent. Our single focus is to beat the B.C. Liberals in the next general election.”

When an NDP caucus revolt erupted last year over Carole James’ leadership, Kwan and Dix took opposite sides in the public dispute.

Kwan was among a group of dissident NDP MLAs who opposed James’ leadership while Dix supported the former NDP leader.

Dix, MLA for Vancouver-Kingsway, was elected party leader last night, beating Port Coquitlam MLA Mike Farnworth on the final ballot.

Kwan, who had supported Farnworth’s leadership bid, said the party will campaign hard behind Dix in the next provincial election.

“It is very clear to me that he is uniting our caucus; he’s uniting our party.”