Andy Burnham: I’d help Labour leadership hopefuls struggling to make shortlist

 
Campaign: Andy Burnham and Labour candidate John Biggs, right, talk to a resident Picture: Nigel Howard
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Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham today said he was prepared to offer a “helping hand” to rivals without enough nominations to stand in the contest.

Mr Burnham said he would agree to push some of his backers towards other contenders to ensure they made the final shortlist if they needed help to get “over the line”.

It came as the shadow health secretary’s support grew even further to 60 MPs — almost double the required number of 35.

Mr Burnham stood for the leadership in 2010 but was only able to enter the final stage of the contest after Malcolm Wicks, the late Croydon North MP, lent him support, having backed David Miliband.

Mr Burnham said: “I wouldn’t be against it as long as it didn’t create something artificial. It would have to be something that was used judiciously. But if it was to get someone over the line I wouldn’t be against it.

“Last time round Malcolm Wicks offered me that helping hand, so I couldn’t really withhold it now.”

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has 46 nominations while shadow health minister Liz Kendall has just passed the mark with 37. Two other candidates — Jeremy Corbyn with 13 nominations and Mary Creagh with seven — are struggling to secure enough backing. Meanwhile, there are still dozens of MPs who are yet to formally say who they are going to support.

Veteran Labour MP Frank Field praised Mr Burnham’s comments, saying: “It won’t harm Andy’s campaign but it could help to widen the choice for the whole party.”

Mr Field went on to argue that the rules for selection needed to be reformed to allow a wider range of people to enter the contest.

He pointed to the deputy leadership fight where just two in the crowded field of seven candidates, Tom Watson and Caroline Flint, have so far acquired enough nominations.

Deadlines for MPs wishing to nominate a candidate in both the leadership and deputy leadership battles are due to pass next week. After voting there will be a conference to declare the final result on September 12.

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