Andy Burnham will reach out to Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters in an appeal for party unity as the leadership election threatens to tear Labour apart.
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On Monday, Corbyn denied accusations by the Jewish Chronicle that he is in contact with Holocaust denier Paul Eisen and has made direct donations to his charity.
GORDON BROWN became the latest Labour heavyweight to damn Jeremy Corbyn yesterday – and he managed to do it without even mentioning his name.
The ballots are out, and supporters of the U.K.’s Labour party now have about a month to decide their party’s new leader.
However, whereas Corbyn returned the favour to Burnham, Yvette Cooper’s campaign has said Burnham should step aside if he won’t challenge Corbyn.
He said: “Jeremy has brought real energy to this race”.
Labour leadership candidate Mr Corbyn addresses more than 1,000 supporters at the Tyne Theatre in Newcastle this evening and will be joined on stage by Unison general secretary Dave Prentis.
But Mr Bell believes the warning signs are there for Labour voters.
The former party leader said the resurgence of the left was “understandable” against a backdrop of “poverty and insecurity” across the country. An exclusive poll for the Evening Standard yesterday revealed had more support among the London public than his nearest rivals, Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper, put together.
“There are many things in our welfare state that we owe to the whole ideas of socialism”, Corbyn said at an Oxford Union event.
“Being so invested in a candidate in a leadership race in another party gives off the impression that that’s where our priorities really lie; that being a Green is a bit like supporting your local team whilst also having a team to follow in the Premiership”.
“Our hearts can be broken and yet it is worse to find out we are powerless to do anything about it”.
Speaking to the Chronicle, Mr Prentis said references to “Corbynmania” did a disservice to a left-wing re-awakening that is sweeping the nation.
The former Prime Minister said the party was “heartbroken” after its defeat in the general election.
“I have been an MP 14 years and am proud to say I have never broken a Labour whip”, he said.
And what could well happen is that swathes of Labour back-benchers would be tempted to quit the party whip and form a splinter group, as happened with the formation of the SDP in the 1980s.
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The Pontypridd MP, who has declared his support for Andy Burnham, also wouldn’t say who he will cast his second and third preference votes for in the contest, whose result will be declared on September 12.
