A recent poll suggested Mr Burnham was the preferred Labour leader among people who voted for the party in the general election, as well as the favourite of the general population, despite indications that he is trailing Mr Corbyn by a large margin among those who actually have a ballot to cast. Those should ring loud warnings, alarm bells…
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Acknowledging party fears that the £3 fee to become a registered supporter was encouraging “entryism” by individuals intending to vote for Mr Corbyn in the hope of causing problems for Labour, Lord Kinnock said: ” The Trotskyite Left and the Telegraph Right who might participate in this election clearly have their own malign purposes”.
“I do really like Jeremy (Corbyn), I wish him the best”.
Trying to explain Mr Corbyn’s apparent appeal, Mr Burnham said: “The party is hungry for something different”.
Tom Watson has most support for CLPs nationally for the deputy leadership with 113 CLPs now reported to be backing him. “Time for leadership candidates to focus on the big challenges facing our country and our party rather than fantasy figures from “research companies” with little or no experience in UK politics”.
Of the 1,001 people questioned, 30% of those who expressed an opinion picked Mr Burnham as the best leader.
Ms Cooper’s support among MEPs meant that she edged ahead of Mr Burnham in the total number of supporting nominations received by the midnight deadline.
Mr Corbyn had a clear lead in CLP nominations with 152 to Mr Burnham’s 111, Ms Cooper’s 106 and Ms Kendall’s 18.
He dismissed suggestions that his support was being inflated by mischief-makers who were not true Labour backers.
Responding to the close of nominations, Mr Burnham said: “I feel honoured to have the support of party members across the country, from Dunfermline down to Dartford, for my campaign to put Labour back in touch with millions of disillusioned voters”.
Some said they were voting for Jeremy Corbyn because he provided hope, others because they thought he was authentic. “For the remaining six weeks of the campaign, I am going to be setting out our credible alternative of hope for the future”.
Ms Kendall told The Observer she thinks Mr Corbyn is “ahead” in the leadership race, but insisted: “Things will change”.
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Announcing his endorsement in an article for The Observer, Lord Kinnock said: “In the leadership election, we are not choosing the chair of a discussion group who can preside over two years or more of fascinating debate while the Tories play hell with cuts”.
