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Labour leadership: Gordon Brown says party must be credible Labour leadership: Gordon Brown says party must be credible
(35 minutes later)
Labour must be "credible" and "electable" in order to win back power and realise its "high ideals", Gordon Brown has said. Labour must be "credible" and "electable" in order to win back power and realise its "high ideals", former PM Gordon Brown has said.
The former PM said Labour must not become "a party of permanent protest". Mr Brown said Labour must not become "a party of permanent protest".
Mr Brown said he was not attacking any individual candidate in the leadership race. But some of his comments appeared to warn against choosing left-winger Jeremy Corbyn. He said he was not attacking a leadership candidate, but some comments appeared to warn against Jeremy Corbyn. Mr Corbyn's team said he was most likely to engage non-Labour voters.
The other candidates are Yvette Cooper, Liz Kendall and Andy Burnham.The other candidates are Yvette Cooper, Liz Kendall and Andy Burnham.
Mr Brown's comments come as a poll suggests Mr Corbyn is considered the candidate most likely to worsen Labour's prospects of winning the next election. Mr Brown's comments come as a poll suggested Mr Corbyn is considered the candidate most likely to worsen Labour's prospects of winning the next election.
Last week, Mr Brown's predecessor at Number 10, Tony Blair, warned that Labour risked annihilation if it elected Mr Corbyn, who polls have also suggested is front-runner. Polls also suggest Mr Corbyn is the front-runner in the leadership race.
Mr Brown did not use Mr Corbyn's name but made it clear he disagreed with many of his economic and social policies.Mr Brown did not use Mr Corbyn's name but made it clear he disagreed with many of his economic and social policies.
The former prime minister said the UK must continue to build international alliances under a future Labour government.The former prime minister said the UK must continue to build international alliances under a future Labour government.
He added: "I have to say that if our global alliances are going to be alliances with Hezbollah and Hamas and Hugo Chavez's Venezuela and Vladimir Putin's Russia, there is absolutely no chance of building a world-wide alliance that can deal with poverty and inequality and climate change and financial instability, and we've got to face up to that fact." He added: "I have to say that if our global alliances are going to be alliances with Hezbollah and Hamas and Hugo Chavez's Venezuela and Vladimir Putin's Russia, there is absolutely no chance of building a world-wide alliance that can deal with poverty and inequality and climate change and financial instability, and we've got to face up to that fact."
Mr Corbyn has previously described Hezbollah as "friends" and said that he wanted Hamas to be "part of the debate".Mr Corbyn has previously described Hezbollah as "friends" and said that he wanted Hamas to be "part of the debate".
Analysis: Alex Forsyth, political correspondent, BBC NewsAnalysis: Alex Forsyth, political correspondent, BBC News
That was a big speech - Gordon Brown covered almost the entire history of the Labour Party - but there was one point that he was very clearly making. Gordon Brown didn't need to mention Jeremy Corbyn's name for his message to be understood; if he wins the leadership race Labour risks electoral oblivion.
It doesn't matter what your principles are, what you believe in. None of that is any good unless you can get into power - and that was a veiled dig at Jeremy Corbyn. The warning was couched in more subtle terms than those used previously by people who've called Mr Corbyn a potential car crash, but it was no less potent.
Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of being a politician of protest, someone who attracts a lot of strong feelings, a lot of passion, but who could be unelectable. That's the accusation levelled at him and that's exactly the point that Gordon Brown was making. Steeped in references to Labour's past, this was a speech designed to tug heart strings from a man who commands the attention of some on Labour's left.
He didn't name him. He refused to do that, but we know exactly who he was talking about. The question will be whether it makes any difference.
Many of Mr Corbyn's supporters say he provides an alternative to the current political system - so they may not be swayed by the views of established politicians.
Mr Brown also referred repeatedly to the need for Labour to become more than a party of protest - a criticism that has been levelled at Mr Corbyn.Mr Brown also referred repeatedly to the need for Labour to become more than a party of protest - a criticism that has been levelled at Mr Corbyn.
"We are grieving and it hurts," he said. "What I am here to say is that the best way of realising our high ideals is to show that we have an alternative in government that is credible, that is radical, and is electable - 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," he said.
"And I'm not here to attack any individual candidate. And I'm not here to say abandon your high ideals.
"What I am here to say is that the best way of realising our high ideals is to show that we have an alternative in government that is credible, that is radical, and is electable - 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."
He went on: "It is not a mistake to want power. It is not a mistake to do what is necessary to get back to power."He went on: "It is not a mistake to want power. It is not a mistake to do what is necessary to get back to power."
The former MP also said the party had to offer "hope" to the public that it could be an alternative government.
"I believe that our vote is both a public duty and a sacred trust. It is a public duty because we have got to show that the Labour Party can be at the service of the country and that we can change society for the better in the future," he said.
Last week, Mr Brown's predecessor at Number 10, Tony Blair, warned that Labour risked annihilation if it elected Mr Corbyn.
'Strong opposition'
A spokesman for Mr Corbyn said he was the candidate "most likely to engage with voters beyond Labour's existing supporters" and credibility did not mean signing up to austerity.
Ms Cooper said it was "no good just being angry at the world if you can't change the world."
Mr Burnham said the country "needs a strong opposition" and Mr Brown and others "need to be listened to".
Earlier, Ms Kendall insisted she had no intention of stepping aside in the race, with polls suggesting she is lagging behind other candidates.
Mr Brown spoke after a ComRes study of 2,035 adults in Britain, for the Independent on Sunday and Sunday Mirror, found 31% of those polled thought Mr Corbyn would worsen Labour's prospects of electoral success. Mr Burnham was the poll's least damaging candidate.Mr Brown spoke after a ComRes study of 2,035 adults in Britain, for the Independent on Sunday and Sunday Mirror, found 31% of those polled thought Mr Corbyn would worsen Labour's prospects of electoral success. Mr Burnham was the poll's least damaging candidate.
Conversely though, 21% thought Mr Corbyn would be most likely to boost Labour's chances of winning the next election.Conversely though, 21% thought Mr Corbyn would be most likely to boost Labour's chances of winning the next election.
Labour leadership contestLabour leadership contest