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| Yvette Cooper: Jeremy Corbyn's economic policies 'not credible' | Yvette Cooper: Jeremy Corbyn's economic policies 'not credible' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Yvette Cooper launches a broadside against Labour leadership rival Jeremy Corbyn in a speech, saying his policies are "not credible". | |
| In her first explicit criticism of the left-wing MP, she will say he offers "old solutions to old problems". | In her first explicit criticism of the left-wing MP, she will say he offers "old solutions to old problems". |
| Mr Corbyn's popularity has sparked a row within Labour with senior figures warning against a lurch to the left. | Mr Corbyn's popularity has sparked a row within Labour with senior figures warning against a lurch to the left. |
| And Labour rejected calls to pause the contest over fears the process is being sabotaged by members of other parties. | And Labour rejected calls to pause the contest over fears the process is being sabotaged by members of other parties. |
| Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned that Labour risks "annihilation" if Mr Corbyn wins the leadership contest. | Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned that Labour risks "annihilation" if Mr Corbyn wins the leadership contest. |
| 'Wrong answers' | 'Wrong answers' |
| Ms Cooper's speech comes on the eve of ballot papers being dispatched to voters, with the result of the four-way contest, also featuring Liz Kendall and Andy Burnham, to be declared on 12 September. | Ms Cooper's speech comes on the eve of ballot papers being dispatched to voters, with the result of the four-way contest, also featuring Liz Kendall and Andy Burnham, to be declared on 12 September. |
| The Electoral Reform Society has said Labour should delay sending out ballots while checks are made on new members. | The Electoral Reform Society has said Labour should delay sending out ballots while checks are made on new members. |
| Analysis by Political Correspondent Ross Hawkins | Analysis by Political Correspondent Ross Hawkins |
| Criticise Corbyn and you make him stronger. That's been the fear of so many who believe he'd spell disaster for Labour. | Criticise Corbyn and you make him stronger. That's been the fear of so many who believe he'd spell disaster for Labour. |
| When Tony Blair - arch-enemy of the party's left - says a Corbyn victory could mean annihilation, they wince. | When Tony Blair - arch-enemy of the party's left - says a Corbyn victory could mean annihilation, they wince. |
| If you love Corbyn and hate Blair, they argue, that won't change your mind. | If you love Corbyn and hate Blair, they argue, that won't change your mind. |
| It's why, perhaps, Yvette Cooper has waited until the eve of polling to explicitly criticise his policies. | It's why, perhaps, Yvette Cooper has waited until the eve of polling to explicitly criticise his policies. |
| It's why others stay silent still. | It's why others stay silent still. |
| Labour's centrists fear too that the flood of new voters - hundreds of thousands of them, enough to form a party of their own - have signed up to back Corbyn. | Labour's centrists fear too that the flood of new voters - hundreds of thousands of them, enough to form a party of their own - have signed up to back Corbyn. |
| They don't know it, though. Not yet. | They don't know it, though. Not yet. |
| The same Westminster consensus that makes Corbyn a sure-fire winner today, regarded him as a fringe outsider not so long ago; it's been a bad year for the Westminster consensus. | The same Westminster consensus that makes Corbyn a sure-fire winner today, regarded him as a fringe outsider not so long ago; it's been a bad year for the Westminster consensus. |
| So time's not up yet for those who'd make the case against Corbyn, but it's running out. | So time's not up yet for those who'd make the case against Corbyn, but it's running out. |
| And his opponents remain uncertain who or what could stand in his way. | And his opponents remain uncertain who or what could stand in his way. |
| On Wednesday, Labour said 610,000 were signed up to vote in the contest. It had 200,000 members before the general election. | On Wednesday, Labour said 610,000 were signed up to vote in the contest. It had 200,000 members before the general election. |
| The society is not involved in running the contest, but its deputy chief executive Darren Hughes said it was obvious there were some people who did not genuinely support Labour who had signed up to vote and should not be allowed to take part. | The society is not involved in running the contest, but its deputy chief executive Darren Hughes said it was obvious there were some people who did not genuinely support Labour who had signed up to vote and should not be allowed to take part. |
| However, a Labour source said: "We are confident in our processes and system and have no plans to delay or suspend." | However, a Labour source said: "We are confident in our processes and system and have no plans to delay or suspend." |
| In a speech in Manchester on Thursday morning, shadow home secretary Ms Cooper will accuse Mr Corbyn - who is the current frontrunner - of "bad economics". | In a speech in Manchester on Thursday morning, shadow home secretary Ms Cooper will accuse Mr Corbyn - who is the current frontrunner - of "bad economics". |
| She will say his policies - including on renationalisation, quitting Nato and quantitative easing - are not radical, will not stand up to scrutiny, and will not get Labour elected. | She will say his policies - including on renationalisation, quitting Nato and quantitative easing - are not radical, will not stand up to scrutiny, and will not get Labour elected. |
| Labour leadership contest in-depth | |
| A look at what each of the candidates would do if they won power: | |
| "I feel really strongly - not just as a leadership candidate but as a Labour Party member that desperately wants an effective Labour government - that his are the wrong answers for the future. | "I feel really strongly - not just as a leadership candidate but as a Labour Party member that desperately wants an effective Labour government - that his are the wrong answers for the future. |
| "And they aren't credible. That they won't change the world. They will keep us out of power and stop us changing the world," she will say. | "And they aren't credible. That they won't change the world. They will keep us out of power and stop us changing the world," she will say. |
| While accepting that the comments could cost her votes, Ms Cooper is to also say there is a battle taking place for the soul of the party. | While accepting that the comments could cost her votes, Ms Cooper is to also say there is a battle taking place for the soul of the party. |
| 'Walking eyes shut' | 'Walking eyes shut' |
| It comes as Mr Blair intensified his warnings about the party moving to the left, saying Labour risks "annihilation" if the Islington North MP wins the leadership contest. | It comes as Mr Blair intensified his warnings about the party moving to the left, saying Labour risks "annihilation" if the Islington North MP wins the leadership contest. |
| 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". |
| Mr Blair, who won three elections and served as prime minister between 1997 and 2007, added: "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." | Mr Blair, who won three elections and served as prime minister between 1997 and 2007, added: "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." |
| 'Perpetual opposition' | 'Perpetual opposition' |
| Meanwhile, former Labour minister Jack Straw told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Mr Corbyn's policies were "economic illiteracy of the worst order". | Meanwhile, former Labour minister Jack Straw told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Mr Corbyn's policies were "economic illiteracy of the worst order". |
| A vote for the Islington North MP, he said, was a vote for "perpetual opposition", adding that Mr Corbyn was scared of becoming leader because he never expected to be in a position to win. | A vote for the Islington North MP, he said, was a vote for "perpetual opposition", adding that Mr Corbyn was scared of becoming leader because he never expected to be in a position to win. |
| However, Ken Livingstone, former Labour MP and London mayor, defended Mr Corbyn's economic strategy and said Mr Corbyn was the only candidate who had sat down and thought through his policies. | However, Ken Livingstone, former Labour MP and London mayor, defended Mr Corbyn's economic strategy and said Mr Corbyn was the only candidate who had sat down and thought through his policies. |
| Mr Livingstone also downplayed fears that the party may split in two if Mr Corbyn became leader, and said Labour should be pleased with the huge surge in new members. | Mr Livingstone also downplayed fears that the party may split in two if Mr Corbyn became leader, and said Labour should be pleased with the huge surge in new members. |
| Numerous MPs have called for the leadership contest to be postponed over fears it has been infiltrated by supporters of other parties but Labour has rejected the claims. | Numerous MPs have called for the leadership contest to be postponed over fears it has been infiltrated by supporters of other parties but Labour has rejected the claims. |