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| Jeremy Corbyn could be prime minster - Ken Livingstone | Jeremy Corbyn could be prime minster - Ken Livingstone |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ken Livingstone has defended Labour leadership contender Jeremy Corbyn's electoral appeal, saying the left-winger could be prime minister. | Ken Livingstone has defended Labour leadership contender Jeremy Corbyn's electoral appeal, saying the left-winger could be prime minister. |
| Labour's ex-London mayor said he would not back the Islington North MP if he did not think he could win. | Labour's ex-London mayor said he would not back the Islington North MP if he did not think he could win. |
| It comes after a row within Labour over the contest, with senior figures warning against a Mr Corbyn victory. | It comes after a row within Labour over the contest, with senior figures warning against a Mr Corbyn victory. |
| But Mr Livingstone said the left-winger had "electrified" the campaign and was connecting with the public. | |
| Yvette Cooper, Andy Burnham and Liz Kendall are the other candidates in the race to succeed Ed Miliband. | Yvette Cooper, Andy Burnham and Liz Kendall are the other candidates in the race to succeed Ed Miliband. |
| Meanwhile, Ms Kendall has criticised comments in The Times by shadow justice secretary Lord Falconer - a supporter of Mr Burnham's - who said neither she nor Ms Cooper would be able to unite the party to steer it through the "challenging" years ahead. | |
| Ms Kendall took it to be an attack on the contribution the women had made to the party, and said it was a "gross insult". | |
| 'Death wish' | 'Death wish' |
| A YouGov poll for the Times on Tuesday put Mr Corbyn - initially seen as an outsider - ahead and Ms Kendall fourth. | A YouGov poll for the Times on Tuesday put Mr Corbyn - initially seen as an outsider - ahead and Ms Kendall fourth. |
| It suggested Mr Corbyn could receive 43% of first preference votes, ahead of Andy Burnham on 26%, Yvette Cooper on 20% and Ms Kendall on 11%. | It suggested Mr Corbyn could receive 43% of first preference votes, ahead of Andy Burnham on 26%, Yvette Cooper on 20% and Ms Kendall on 11%. |
| Former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned the party would not win from a left-wing position, and one of his former advisers said MPs who helped Mr Corbyn onto the ballot paper but did not support him were "morons". | Former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned the party would not win from a left-wing position, and one of his former advisers said MPs who helped Mr Corbyn onto the ballot paper but did not support him were "morons". |
| Meanwhile, ex-cabinet minister Alan Milburn said Labour had a "death wish" if it shifted left and Labour donor John Mills told the BBC the election of Mr Corbyn could trigger an "ideological split". | Meanwhile, ex-cabinet minister Alan Milburn said Labour had a "death wish" if it shifted left and Labour donor John Mills told the BBC the election of Mr Corbyn could trigger an "ideological split". |
| But riding to the left-winger's defence, Mr Livingstone told BBC Radio 5 Live Mr Corbyn could win back voters who backed the Conservatives at the general election, particularly in southern England. | But riding to the left-winger's defence, Mr Livingstone told BBC Radio 5 Live Mr Corbyn could win back voters who backed the Conservatives at the general election, particularly in southern England. |
| "Thirty years ago when it was a choice between Michael Foot and Denis Healey [to become Labour leader], I loved Michael Foot, I agreed with him, but I didn't think he could win and I supported Denis Healey. | "Thirty years ago when it was a choice between Michael Foot and Denis Healey [to become Labour leader], I loved Michael Foot, I agreed with him, but I didn't think he could win and I supported Denis Healey. |
| "If I didn't think Jeremy could win, I wouldn't be backing him. But just the way people stop me on the street, he has electrified this campaign," he said. | "If I didn't think Jeremy could win, I wouldn't be backing him. But just the way people stop me on the street, he has electrified this campaign," he said. |
| The former Labour MP criticised Labour's "austerity-lite" message at the election, saying the party failed to put forward an "alternative economic strategy" to the electorate. | The former Labour MP criticised Labour's "austerity-lite" message at the election, saying the party failed to put forward an "alternative economic strategy" to the electorate. |
| But he backed Mr Corbyn's plans to "modernise the economy" and boost investment, and hoped attention would be focused on his strategy rather than "personal abuse". | But he backed Mr Corbyn's plans to "modernise the economy" and boost investment, and hoped attention would be focused on his strategy rather than "personal abuse". |
| Labour leadership contest | Labour leadership contest |
| At-a-glance profiles of the four contenders | At-a-glance profiles of the four contenders |
| On Thursday Mr Corbyn responded to his critics by calling for an end to "silly remarks". | On Thursday Mr Corbyn responded to his critics by calling for an end to "silly remarks". |
| He told the BBC: "I think politics should be conducted on a comradely and friendly basis, and if people disagree with each other then say what they disagree on, and let's keep these silly remarks to themselves." | He told the BBC: "I think politics should be conducted on a comradely and friendly basis, and if people disagree with each other then say what they disagree on, and let's keep these silly remarks to themselves." |
| Also on Thursday, Ms Kendall dismissed calls for her to withdraw from the contest to ensure Mr Corbyn is beaten. | Also on Thursday, Ms Kendall dismissed calls for her to withdraw from the contest to ensure Mr Corbyn is beaten. |
| She told the BBC: "I'll be fighting for what I believe in until the very end." | She told the BBC: "I'll be fighting for what I believe in until the very end." |
| A victory for Mr Corbyn, she claimed, would be a "disaster", saying that turning back to the politics of the 1980s and losing elections "does nothing to help the people" the party wants to help. | |
| In a subsequent poll, for Ipsos Mori, 27% of the general public said Mr Burnham would be a good prime minister, compared to 22% for Ms Cooper, 17% for Mr Corbyn and 16% for Ms Kendall. | In a subsequent poll, for Ipsos Mori, 27% of the general public said Mr Burnham would be a good prime minister, compared to 22% for Ms Cooper, 17% for Mr Corbyn and 16% for Ms Kendall. |
| Mr Burnham also led among Labour supporters. | Mr Burnham also led among Labour supporters. |