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Yvette Cooper: Jeremy Corbyn's economic policies 'not credible' Yvette Cooper: Jeremy Corbyn's economic policies 'not credible'
(about 3 hours later)
Yvette Cooper has turned her fire on Labour leadership rival Jeremy Corbyn, saying his policies were "not credible" and would make the party unelectable. Yvette Cooper has turned her fire on the frontrunner in the Labour leadership race as the party prepares to start sending out ballot papers.
In her first explicit criticism of the left-wing MP, she said he offered "old solutions to old problems". She said her left-wing rival Jeremy Corbyn lacked economic credibility and he would keep Labour out of power.
Her intervention is in response to his rising popularity, which has fuelled a row over the direction of the party. It echoes warnings from Tony Blair and other senior figures as a row erupts over Labour's future direction.
But leadership hopeful Andy Burnham told the BBC attacks on Mr Corbyn "misread the mood of the party". Mr Corbyn insisted his policies were "serious" and urged his rivals not to indulge in personal "abuse".
He said Mr Corbyn had "brought the campaign to life", telling Radio 4's World at One "there is a yearning out there for a different style of politics", and insisting he was the candidate to offer that. Ms Cooper has previously held back from directly criticising Mr Corbyn, who began the race as a rank outsider but has shot to the top of the opinion polls on the back of a social media campaign and backing from the two biggest unions.
"People want something bigger they can believe in," added Mr Burnham and he criticised what he characterised as "retail politics" whereby "small gimmicky policies have been serviced up to appeal to particular splinters of the population". 'No pandering'
His comments come after warnings by Tony Blair and other senior Labour figures against a Mr Corbyn victory, saying the party will be unelectable if it lurches to the left. In a speech in Manchester, Ms Cooper accused the Islington North MP of "bad economics," arguing that his policies - including on renationalisation, quitting Nato and quantitative easing - were not radical, would not stand up to scrutiny, and would not get Labour elected.
Labour Party officials have, meanwhile, rejected calls to pause the contest over fears the process is being sabotaged by members of other parties. She said she did not want to dismiss the values and intentions of Mr Corbyn or his supporters, but she said she would not "pander" to them or pretend she agreed with his answers for Britain.
'Wrong answers' She added: "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.
Ballot papers are being dispatched to voters on Friday, with the result of the four-way contest - also featuring Liz Kendall and Andy Burnham - to be declared on 12 September. "They aren't radical and they aren't credible. And they won't change the world. They will keep us out of power and stop us changing the world."
Shadow home secretary Ms Cooper accused Mr Corbyn - who is the current frontrunner, despite beginning the process as a rank outsider - of "bad economics".
She said his policies - including on renationalisation, quitting Nato and quantitative easing - were not radical, would not stand up to scrutiny, and would not get Labour elected.
Analysis by Political Correspondent Ross HawkinsAnalysis 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 others stay silent still.
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.
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.
Ms Cooper said she did not want to dismiss the values and intentions of Mr Corbyn or his supporters, but she said she would not "pander" to them or pretend she agreed with his answers for Britain.
"The truth is that Jeremy is offering old solutions to old problems, not new answers to the problems of today," the leadership hopeful said.
She added: "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.
"They aren't radical and they aren't credible. And they won't change the world. They will keep us out of power and stop us changing the world," she said.
Ms Cooper said she knew criticism of Mr Corbyn could cost her votes but felt she had to speak out because there was a battle taking place for the soul of the Labour Party.Ms Cooper said she knew criticism of Mr Corbyn could cost her votes but felt she had to speak out because there was a battle taking place for the soul of the Labour Party.
She said she did not believe that Mr Corbyn would be able to hold the party together. But, Andy Burnham, another candidate vying for the leadership, told BBC Radio 4's World at One the attacks on Mr Corbyn "misread the mood of the party".
'No personal attacks'
He said Mr Corbyn had "brought the campaign to life" saying "there is a yearning out there for a different style of politics" and that people "want something bigger they can believe in".
"I am the only candidate in this race who can beat Jeremy Corbyn," he said, but he resisted calls that the other two candidates should step aside to allow a head-to-head contest.
Responding to Ms Cooper's criticisms and former prime minister Tony Blair's claim that he would "annihilate" the party, Mr Corbyn said he wanted to focus on policies not personal abuse.
"We don't do personal attacks, we don't do abuse, we don't do personal criticism. Never have, never will. Life is too short for that. We do policies," he told the BBC.
Labour leadership contest in-depthLabour leadership contest in-depth
A look at what each of the candidates would do if they won power:A look at what each of the candidates would do if they won power:
Ms Cooper's speech came as Mr Blair intensified his warnings about the party moving to the left, saying Labour risked "annihilation" if the Islington North MP won the leadership contest. He said many people had been "turned off" by the "politics of abuse" and wanted the political system to represent them.
In an impassioned letter printed in the Guardian, he said the party was walking "over the cliff's edge". "They're not really very interested in name-calling, it doesn't change anything," he added.
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." The Islington North MP added that he had put forward a "serious set of economic proposals" which he said had been well thought out.
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". Ms Kendall, who is currently polling fourth in the contest, said she understood why Labour figures were issuing warnings over the prospects for Labour under Mr Corbyn's leadership.
A vote for the Islington North MP, he said, would leave the party in "perpetual opposition", adding that Mr Corbyn was scared of becoming leader because he never expected to be in a position to win. But she added: "I think it is up to all of the candidates in the leadership and deputy leadership race to make the case for a positive, optimistic alternative for the Labour Party that is right for the country."
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. The leadership hopeful, who is embarking on a three-day whistle stop tour of Britain to revive her bid, conceded she had a "hell of a long way to go" but she said she would fight "to the very end".
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. Meanwhile, Labour Party officials have rejected calls to pause the contest over fears the process is being sabotaged by members 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 but Labour has rejected the claims. The Labour Party will begin sending out ballot papers to voters on Friday, with the result of the four-way contest - also featuring Liz Kendall - 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.
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.
However, a Labour source said: "We are confident in our processes and system and have no plans to delay or suspend."