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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Labour leadership: Burnham criticises Cooper call to quit | Labour leadership: Burnham criticises Cooper call to quit |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Labour leadership hopeful Andy Burnham has said calls from rival Yvette Cooper for him to quit the contest are "disappointing" and "quite strange". | Labour leadership hopeful Andy Burnham has said calls from rival Yvette Cooper for him to quit the contest are "disappointing" and "quite strange". |
| A spokesman for Ms Cooper said he should step aside "if he isn't prepared to offer an alternative" to left-wing frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn. | A spokesman for Ms Cooper said he should step aside "if he isn't prepared to offer an alternative" to left-wing frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn. |
| Mr Burnham has praised Mr Corbyn's "energy" but said he had criticised his economic policies. | Mr Burnham has praised Mr Corbyn's "energy" but said he had criticised his economic policies. |
| Both he and Ms Cooper insist they are only ones who can beat Mr Corbyn. | |
| Liz Kendall is the fourth candidate in the race to replace Ed Miliband. | Liz Kendall is the fourth candidate in the race to replace Ed Miliband. |
| Everything you need to know about the four candidates hoping to become the next Labour leader. | Everything you need to know about the four candidates hoping to become the next Labour leader. |
| 'The right thing' | 'The right thing' |
| Ms Kendall has said she would not serve in a Jeremy Corbyn shadow cabinet, while Ms Cooper said the prospect was "unlikely unless Jeremy changes his view on some important things". | |
| In contrast, Mr Burnham and Mr Corbyn have both said they could happily work with one another - although the former has not said he would definitely offer Mr Corbyn a shadow cabinet post. | In contrast, Mr Burnham and Mr Corbyn have both said they could happily work with one another - although the former has not said he would definitely offer Mr Corbyn a shadow cabinet post. |
| Asked during his visit to BAE Systems whether he would serve in a Corbyn cabinet, Mr Burnham did not rule it out. | Asked during his visit to BAE Systems whether he would serve in a Corbyn cabinet, Mr Burnham did not rule it out. |
| "I have said I'll serve the Labour Party... I don't know if he wants me to, but I will always serve Labour in whatever capacity," he said. "I always will do because I am Labour through and through." | "I have said I'll serve the Labour Party... I don't know if he wants me to, but I will always serve Labour in whatever capacity," he said. "I always will do because I am Labour through and through." |
| A number of senior Labour figures, including Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Lord Kinnock and David Miliband have warned - directly or indirectly - about the dangers of electing Mr Corbyn leader. | A number of senior Labour figures, including Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Lord Kinnock and David Miliband have warned - directly or indirectly - about the dangers of electing Mr Corbyn leader. |
| A spokesman for Ms Cooper said on Monday Mr Burnham should "step back and leave it to Yvette" if he could not provide an alternative to Mr Corbyn - and also "do the right thing by the party and tell people who do still support him to put second preferences for Yvette - something he is still refusing to do". | |
| Asked about that criticism on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Burnham said: "Throughout this, I've tried to keep this campaign positive and only yesterday morning (Monday) I was praising all the other candidates in my speech. | Asked about that criticism on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Burnham said: "Throughout this, I've tried to keep this campaign positive and only yesterday morning (Monday) I was praising all the other candidates in my speech. |
| "So I find this call disappointing, but actually quite strange, given that all the other leadership camps all agree - and they've gone on the record to say this - that I'm in second place." | "So I find this call disappointing, but actually quite strange, given that all the other leadership camps all agree - and they've gone on the record to say this - that I'm in second place." |
| Ms Cooper said she had "huge respect for all of the other candidates". | |
| "There have been people in Andy's campaign who have wanted the other candidates to stand down," she told the BBC. "Look that's fine. But I think this has really got to be about who is the radical and credible alternative to the Tories." | |
| 'Bad blood' | 'Bad blood' |
| Mr Burnham said he had made it clear he disagreed with Mr Corbyn on Europe, the economy and public services. | |
| But he refused to tell his supporters how to use their second preference votes and said "lectures from people at the top of the party... don't go down particularly well". | |
| Tony Blair has said Labour risks "annihilation" if it elects Mr Corbyn, but Mr Burnham said warnings like that were "overstating" the threat the veteran MP posed. | Tony Blair has said Labour risks "annihilation" if it elects Mr Corbyn, but Mr Burnham said warnings like that were "overstating" the threat the veteran MP posed. |
| He added: "If we let this bad blood... the negativity take over, this party will be harder to unite coming out of this contest and that is what I am focused on." | He added: "If we let this bad blood... the negativity take over, this party will be harder to unite coming out of this contest and that is what I am focused on." |
| A source on Mr Burnham's campaign team told the BBC Ms Cooper's call for him to quit was "very desperate stuff", adding: "This stunt tonight is straight of the Ed Balls handbook." | A source on Mr Burnham's campaign team told the BBC Ms Cooper's call for him to quit was "very desperate stuff", adding: "This stunt tonight is straight of the Ed Balls handbook." |
| Former Labour leader Lord Kinnock - who is backing Mr Burnham - said the resurgence of the Left was "understandable" given the "poverty and insecurity in our country", but he warned against making the "introverted, self-indulgent" choice. | |
| Meanwhile, Mr Corbyn set out his vision of a renationalised rail network at London's Kings Cross Station on Tuesday, saying a return to public ownership would bring an end to "rip-off" fares. | |
| He also said Labour grandees criticising him were underestimating the "huge levels of public support" for his campaign. | |
| What are they arguing about? | What are they arguing about? |
| By Brian Wheeler, BBC political reporter | By Brian Wheeler, BBC political reporter |
| Labour's leadership contest uses the Alternative Vote system under which voters rank the candidates in order of preference. | Labour's leadership contest uses the Alternative Vote system under which voters rank the candidates in order of preference. |
| If someone wins more than 50% of the first preference votes then they automatically become Labour leader. On current form that is most likely to be Jeremy Corbyn. | If someone wins more than 50% of the first preference votes then they automatically become Labour leader. On current form that is most likely to be Jeremy Corbyn. |
| But if that doesn't happen then things start to get complicated. | But if that doesn't happen then things start to get complicated. |
| Nobody thinks Jeremy Corbyn will come in third or fourth place so Yvette Cooper, Liz Kendall and Andy Burnham are not really looking to pick up his second preferences. | Nobody thinks Jeremy Corbyn will come in third or fourth place so Yvette Cooper, Liz Kendall and Andy Burnham are not really looking to pick up his second preferences. |
| Burnham is cosying up to Corbyn in the hope that some of his supporters, who perhaps fear he is a bit too extreme, will make Burnham their first preference instead. | Burnham is cosying up to Corbyn in the hope that some of his supporters, who perhaps fear he is a bit too extreme, will make Burnham their first preference instead. |
| He has avoided promoting the "Anyone But Corbyn" option favoured by Cooper and Kendall for fear of alienating Corbyn sympathisers. But he is also angling for second preferences from Cooper and Kendall backers. | He has avoided promoting the "Anyone But Corbyn" option favoured by Cooper and Kendall for fear of alienating Corbyn sympathisers. But he is also angling for second preferences from Cooper and Kendall backers. |
| Cooper is in the "Anyone But Corbyn" camp and has urged her supporters to put Burnham as their second preference. Her campaign is furious that he has not returned the compliment. | Cooper is in the "Anyone But Corbyn" camp and has urged her supporters to put Burnham as their second preference. Her campaign is furious that he has not returned the compliment. |
| Kendall's team has urged her supporters to give their second preferences to Cooper or Burnham but not Corbyn. | Kendall's team has urged her supporters to give their second preferences to Cooper or Burnham but not Corbyn. |
| Corbyn has said nothing at all about second preferences but he probably does not need to. | Corbyn has said nothing at all about second preferences but he probably does not need to. |
| We hope that's clear… | We hope that's clear… |
| Are you a Labour Party member? Have you received your ballot papers? We would like to hear from you - please email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Are you a Labour Party member? Have you received your ballot papers? We would like to hear from you - please email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |