Labour leadership race: Jeremy Corbyn and Andy Burnham pledge to work together

Ms Cooper is locked in a bitter battle with Mr Burnham to emerge as the main challenger to Mr Corbyn, while the other contender Liz Kendall lags behind in fourth place. We need people dedicated to their brief who are able to work co-operatively with the party to set out a shared vision for their area consistent with a more equal, democratic and inclusive society.

London mayoral hopeful Diane Abbott, one of Mr Corbyn’s most prominent supporters, said accusations about the frontrunner’s associations with extremists such as Abou Jahjah and Palestinian militant group Hamas had surfaced because opponents are terrified he will take the top job.

“I invite the Parliamentary Labour Party to understand that there is a huge democratic movement in this country which is getting great resonance, with older people coming back to Labour and younger people who were previously turned off by yah-boo-sucks abusive politics coming into it for the first time”. Cooper is married to Ed Balls, the former shadow chancellor.

People join his campaign because they want to see a challenge to the Tories.

As current MPs are drawing dividing lines, former prominent Labour politicians have also warned against Corbyn, including David Miliband, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and Neil Kinnock. He is the candidate who can talk to ordinary people on the doorstep in Burnley and East Lancashire and get our message across.

He wrote: “Labour must become a social movement again and stand apart from those with vested interest and powerful connections”.

Mr Hunt accepted that Ms Kendall was trailing in the race – which appears to be led by left-winger Jeremy Corbyn – but said it was vital that party members consider the consequences before casting their vote. I was leader of Sheffield City Council, I was a member of the national executive committee of the Labour Party.

Andy has sought to reach out across the Party and has been absolutely right to do so, just as he has also been right to highlight the policy differences he has with Jeremy Corbyn on the economy and public services, and on worldwide affairs.

Responding to claims of plots among opponents to stop him winning, he said: “I do not think anyone should pull out”.

“The other candidates in the Labour leadership election – and I don’t really want to be involved in leadership elections or voting type stuff any more – are interchangeable, even though they’re different genders”, Brand said.

Ronald Wood, from Newcastle added: “The Labour Party are finished if he gets to be leader – but the only bad thing with that is we may have to endure the Tories, so the real working class have to vote UKIP”.