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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Kinnock backs Ed Miliband in race | Kinnock backs Ed Miliband in race |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Lord Kinnock has publicly endorsed Ed Miliband in his campaign to become the next Labour leader. | Lord Kinnock has publicly endorsed Ed Miliband in his campaign to become the next Labour leader. |
| In an interview with the Observer, he describes the former energy secretary as having the electoral "X-factor" and "the capacity to inspire people". | In an interview with the Observer, he describes the former energy secretary as having the electoral "X-factor" and "the capacity to inspire people". |
| Six candidates say they plan to stand, with a winner announced in September. | |
| Ex-health secretary Andy Burnham said he was proud to be a "continuity candidate", although he believed the party had "lost its way" in some areas. | |
| 'Strong values' | 'Strong values' |
| In the Observer interview, Lord Kinnock describes Ed Miliband as a "modern democratic socialist because he has got strong values and he is very practical" and says he has an ability to "lift" people. | In the Observer interview, Lord Kinnock describes Ed Miliband as a "modern democratic socialist because he has got strong values and he is very practical" and says he has an ability to "lift" people. |
| He said: "Ed [Miliband] is very bright, including politically bright. He is hugely energetic. He is fluent. | He said: "Ed [Miliband] is very bright, including politically bright. He is hugely energetic. He is fluent. |
| "He has got the capacity to inspire people, which we need. And that marks him out as a special kind of young potential leader. | "He has got the capacity to inspire people, which we need. And that marks him out as a special kind of young potential leader. |
| "I am certain that he is a modern democratic socialist because he has got strong values and he is very practical." | "I am certain that he is a modern democratic socialist because he has got strong values and he is very practical." |
| We really do need a leader who can reach out for the rebuilding of the Labour party, but particularly to give coherence to our thinking Lord Kinnock | We really do need a leader who can reach out for the rebuilding of the Labour party, but particularly to give coherence to our thinking Lord Kinnock |
| Lord Kinnock said Mr Miliband "has got the X-Factor, especially where the X is the sign you put on the voting slip at election time." | Lord Kinnock said Mr Miliband "has got the X-Factor, especially where the X is the sign you put on the voting slip at election time." |
| And he also said Mr Miliband's attitude is "that it is no good wandering around with convictions unless you want to put them into practice, and that really is his motivation. | And he also said Mr Miliband's attitude is "that it is no good wandering around with convictions unless you want to put them into practice, and that really is his motivation. |
| "And vitally, absolutely vitally, he is comfortable among people of every kind, young and old, men and women, inside and outside the movement. | "And vitally, absolutely vitally, he is comfortable among people of every kind, young and old, men and women, inside and outside the movement. |
| "We really do need a leader who can reach out for the rebuilding of the Labour party, but particularly to give coherence to our thinking." | "We really do need a leader who can reach out for the rebuilding of the Labour party, but particularly to give coherence to our thinking." |
| The issue of the Iraq war has dominated the Labour leadership debate in recent days after Mr Miliband and former children's secretary Ed Balls, who is also standing, criticised the decision to invade in 2003. | |
| Mr Balls said the war was "wrong" while Mr Miliband said it had led to a "big loss of trust" in Labour. | |
| Iraq issue | Iraq issue |
| Former foreign secretary David Miliband, tipped as the front runner to succeed Mr Brown, has previously urged party members not to make the Iraq war an issue, saying it was "time to move on". | |
| Rival candidate John McDonnell said the "road to Damascus conversion" over Iraq was far too late and opportunistic. | |
| Neither Mr Balls nor Ed Miliband were MPs when the decision to invade Iraq was made. David Miliband was an MP then and voted for the invasion. | |
| Asked himself about the war, Mr Burnham told the Andrew Marr programme he did "not back away" from his own support for the decision. | |
| "I think it gave 20 million people in Iraq hope of a better life," he said. "You cannot walk away from that truth." | |
| 'In denial' | |
| In general, Mr Burnham said he would not "disown" any decisions taken during Labour's 13 years in power and was "proud" to be associated with its record. | |
| I don't think Labour can ever be in that position where we don't have views about wealth at the very highest levels Andy Burnham | |
| However, he said there was a "perception" that the party had not listened to concerns about immigration and housing and was not "on the side" of its core supporters. | |
| "Some people felt we were either in denial [about immigration] or did not want to talk about it," he said. | |
| The party had also failed to articulate concerns over "very excessive" wealth, adding: "I don't think Labour can ever be in that position where we don't have views about wealth at the very highest levels." | |
| Backbencher Diane Abbott, who voted against the war in Iraq, became the latest person to enter the race on Wednesday. | |
| The result will be announced on 25 September, the first day of the party's annual conference. |