Labour must be electable: Brown

Andy Burnham used a keynote speech in Manchester today to try to woo the left-wing supporters of Labour-leadership race favourite Jeremy Corbyn.

In the latest of a string of interventions from the party’s big beasts, the former foreign secretary endorsed Liz Kendall to take the top job and disclosed that his second preference vote would go to Yvette Cooper.

But he warned: “Get it wrong, and Britain could become a multiparty democracy with only one party – the Conservative party – that can win parliamentary majorities”.

“The leader of the Labour Party isn’t the Labour Party, he’s one person in it”.

“The claim from the Corbyn camp is that there is no alternative”.

“It is neither a pale imitation of what the Tories offer nor is it the route to being a party of permanent protest, rather than a party of government”.

” The Corbyn programme looks backwards”.

But Mr Turner said: “People, when they cast their vote, should be thinking who is the best-placed candidate to win a general election”.

Mr Turner said he would be “disappointed” if Mr Corbyn won.

Mr Turner, who represents Hull East, said Shadow Health Secretary Mr Burnham was an “authentic” politician capable of winning a general election.

He did not criticise the Islington MP personally, or mention him once, but the fifty minute speech amounted to barely coded message to Labour supporters not to back Corbyn.

“I have put forward a plan that is both radical and credible, that can unite our party, that can speak to the country and lay the foundations for a Labour victory in 2020”.

“We want – and expect – Jeremy’s attitude to filter throughout the campaign, to our supporters on social media and beyond”.

“Can we please, and I say this to everyone, just talk about the issues that people are facing?” he asked.

The 44-year-old Leicester West MP also refuted suggestions that fierce debate during the leadership contest could lead to a split in the Labour party.

“I got more and more abuse from the left, from that kernel of fellow travellers that have latched on the Corbyn campaign”, he said.

He said: “I published details about the event online on Facebook on the Thursday night but there were no tickets for sale at that stage”.

Whoever triumphs in the contest will be able to mould the party as they see fit, he added.

Earlier Mr Burnham had told the ECHO he is now “the only candidate who can beat Jeremy Corbyn“.

Ms Kendall, regarded as the Blairite candidate in the field, said in a radio interview: “I don’t think Jeremy’s policies are right for 2015, let alone 2020 or 2025”. “I have no idea where that came from”.

She also welcomed the appointments of Ms Dugdale and Mr Rowley.

“I am very proud to have the support of Warrington based Usdaw – it is an example of what a modern trade union should be”.