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Labour risks 'annihilation' if Jeremy Corbyn is leader - Tony Blair | Labour risks 'annihilation' if Jeremy Corbyn is leader - Tony Blair |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The Labour Party risks "annihilation" if Jeremy Corbyn wins the party's leadership contest, former prime minister Tony Blair has warned. | The Labour Party risks "annihilation" if Jeremy Corbyn wins the party's leadership contest, former prime minister Tony Blair has warned. |
In an impassioned letter printed in the Guardian, Mr Blair said the party was walking "over the cliff's edge". | In an impassioned letter printed in the Guardian, Mr Blair said the party was walking "over the cliff's edge". |
A Yougov poll for the Times this week showed Mr Corbyn was 32 points ahead of his nearest rival Andy Burnham. | A Yougov poll for the Times this week showed Mr Corbyn was 32 points ahead of his nearest rival Andy Burnham. |
In the days before registration to vote closed on Wednesday, Labour received more than 160,000 applications. | |
Voting for the contest starts on Friday and the result will be declared on 12 September. | Voting for the contest starts on Friday and the result will be declared on 12 September. |
'Walking eyes shut' | 'Walking eyes shut' |
Writing in the Guardian, Mr Blair said: "It doesn't matter whether you're on the left, right or centre of the party, whether you used to support me or hate me," he wrote. | Writing in the Guardian, Mr Blair said: "It doesn't matter whether you're on the left, right or centre of the party, whether you used to support me or hate me," he wrote. |
"But please understand the danger we are in. | "But please understand the danger we are in. |
"The party is walking eyes shut, arms outstretched over the cliff's edge to the jagged rocks below. | "The party is walking eyes shut, arms outstretched over the cliff's edge to the jagged rocks below. |
"This is not a moment to refrain from disturbing the serenity of the walk on the basis it causes 'disunity'. | "This is not a moment to refrain from disturbing the serenity of the walk on the basis it causes 'disunity'. |
"It is a moment for a rugby tackle if that were possible." | "It is a moment for a rugby tackle if that were possible." |
Labour leadership contest | Labour leadership contest |
At-a-glance profiles of the four contenders | At-a-glance profiles of the four contenders |
Mr Corbyn, a backbencher who was seen as a rank outsider at the start of the campaign, has been packing out meeting halls across the UK, with many of his supporters joining the Labour Party to vote for him. | Mr Corbyn, a backbencher who was seen as a rank outsider at the start of the campaign, has been packing out meeting halls across the UK, with many of his supporters joining the Labour Party to vote for him. |
On Tuesday the YouGov poll for The Times of 1,400 eligible voters put Mr Corbyn on 53%, 32 points ahead of Andy Burnham. | On Tuesday the YouGov poll for The Times of 1,400 eligible voters put Mr Corbyn on 53%, 32 points ahead of Andy Burnham. |
Mr Corbyn urged caution in response to the polls, saying his campaign was "going very well" but ballot papers had not yet been sent out. | Mr Corbyn urged caution in response to the polls, saying his campaign was "going very well" but ballot papers had not yet been sent out. |
The other contestants in the contest are Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall. | The other contestants in the contest are Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall. |
Last month Mr Blair, who won three elections and served as prime minister between 1997 and 2007, warned against the party moving further to the left and electing Mr Corbyn the party's new leader. | Last month Mr Blair, who won three elections and served as prime minister between 1997 and 2007, warned against the party moving further to the left and electing Mr Corbyn the party's new leader. |
But in a further intensification of his warnings, Mr Blair said: "If Jeremy Corbyn becomes leader it won't be a defeat like 1983 or 2015 at the next election. It will mean rout, possibly annihilation." | But in a further intensification of his warnings, Mr Blair said: "If Jeremy Corbyn becomes leader it won't be a defeat like 1983 or 2015 at the next election. It will mean rout, possibly annihilation." |
Numerous MPs have called for the leadership contest to be postponed over fears it has been infiltrated by supporters of other parties. | Numerous MPs have called for the leadership contest to be postponed over fears it has been infiltrated by supporters of other parties. |
These fears have been rejected by Labour, which says robust checks are in place. | These fears have been rejected by Labour, which says robust checks are in place. |