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| Labour leadership debate: PM accused of being 'heartless and powerless' in approach to refugee crisis | |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| As pressure on European politicians to solve the refugee crisis intensified after an image of a drowned three-year-old Syrian boy emerged on Wednesday, Labour leadership candidates grappled with the issue at the final debate before the election ended. | As pressure on European politicians to solve the refugee crisis intensified after an image of a drowned three-year-old Syrian boy emerged on Wednesday, Labour leadership candidates grappled with the issue at the final debate before the election ended. |
| Frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn battled it out against rivals Liz Kendall, Yvette Cooper, and Andy Burnham, during the hustings at the Sage in Gateshead, as the race entered the final furlong. | Frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn battled it out against rivals Liz Kendall, Yvette Cooper, and Andy Burnham, during the hustings at the Sage in Gateshead, as the race entered the final furlong. |
| The candidates were united in the belief that Prime Minister David Cameron was not doing enough to respond to the mounting crisis, but failed to agree on the number of refugees the country should accept. | The candidates were united in the belief that Prime Minister David Cameron was not doing enough to respond to the mounting crisis, but failed to agree on the number of refugees the country should accept. |
| Jeremy Corbyn, who maintained his position as the clear front runner according to an unofficial poll of viewers at the end of the night, said that accepting 4,000 additional refugees “doesn't seem like enough”. | Jeremy Corbyn, who maintained his position as the clear front runner according to an unofficial poll of viewers at the end of the night, said that accepting 4,000 additional refugees “doesn't seem like enough”. |
| “We have to hold out the hand of humanity and support and friendship... Every European country should do its best. Germany has shown the way,“ he said. | “We have to hold out the hand of humanity and support and friendship... Every European country should do its best. Germany has shown the way,“ he said. |
| His sentiment was mirrored by shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, who has in the past suggested that the UK should accept 10,000 refugees. | His sentiment was mirrored by shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, who has in the past suggested that the UK should accept 10,000 refugees. |
| ”Other countries are doing their best. We have got to do more as well,“ she said. | ”Other countries are doing their best. We have got to do more as well,“ she said. |
| Accusing the Prime Minister of taking a “heartless and powerless” approach, Liz Kendall said she was “ashamed” by the Government's response to the crisis. | Accusing the Prime Minister of taking a “heartless and powerless” approach, Liz Kendall said she was “ashamed” by the Government's response to the crisis. |
| Britain should be taking “something in the tens of thousands,” she said. | Britain should be taking “something in the tens of thousands,” she said. |
| Andy Burnham, meanwhile, said Mr Cameron should be entering immediate talks with his EU counterparts on a deal to tackle the migration problem. | Andy Burnham, meanwhile, said Mr Cameron should be entering immediate talks with his EU counterparts on a deal to tackle the migration problem. |
| His comments came after he previously called on the Government to present a plan for debate in the House of Commons on Monday. | His comments came after he previously called on the Government to present a plan for debate in the House of Commons on Monday. |
| Asked to address whether UK “should put boots on the ground to tackle ISIS?” all four were in agreement that they would not like to see UK troops on the ground to combat ISIS in Syria. | Asked to address whether UK “should put boots on the ground to tackle ISIS?” all four were in agreement that they would not like to see UK troops on the ground to combat ISIS in Syria. |
| Ms Kendall said she could only see such a move working if “it’s part of a wider strategy in that area” to support democracy. | Ms Kendall said she could only see such a move working if “it’s part of a wider strategy in that area” to support democracy. |
| Saying he agreed in principle with Ms Kendall, Mr Burnham said he “didn’t envisage it being an issue in the future.” | Saying he agreed in principle with Ms Kendall, Mr Burnham said he “didn’t envisage it being an issue in the future.” |
| Members place stickers on Labour leadership contenders photos based upon their performance after a live debate on Sky News (Image: PA) | Members place stickers on Labour leadership contenders photos based upon their performance after a live debate on Sky News (Image: PA) |
| Mr Corbyn warned that any such action “would make the situation worse, more deaths would follow, more horrors would follow”. | Mr Corbyn warned that any such action “would make the situation worse, more deaths would follow, more horrors would follow”. |
| And Ms Cooper was adamant: “I don’t think we should have UK troops on the ground. | And Ms Cooper was adamant: “I don’t think we should have UK troops on the ground. |
| “There doesn’t need to be a response on the ground.” | “There doesn’t need to be a response on the ground.” |
| She claimed the UK’s role should be in supporting democracy in the region. | She claimed the UK’s role should be in supporting democracy in the region. |
| A Sky News poll following the final debate in the election saw Mr Corbyn storming ahead with more than 80.7 per cent of the vote. | A Sky News poll following the final debate in the election saw Mr Corbyn storming ahead with more than 80.7 per cent of the vote. |
| When the hustings closed, Corbyn had secured 80.6 per cent, followed by a dismal showing of 8.5 for Kendall, 6.1 for Cooper, with former front-runner Burnham scoring the lowest with 4.7 per cent, according to Sky News. | When the hustings closed, Corbyn had secured 80.6 per cent, followed by a dismal showing of 8.5 for Kendall, 6.1 for Cooper, with former front-runner Burnham scoring the lowest with 4.7 per cent, according to Sky News. |
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| Additional reporting by PA | Additional reporting by PA |