Labour leadership election: which candidates have what it takes to head the party | Politics | The Guardian The Observer Labour leadership election: which candidates have what it takes to head the party In the post-Miliband era, the new Labour leader will have to ‘speak human’ appeal to ‘John Lewis voters’, be a ‘friend of the north’, be trusted with the economy – and have some charisma. So how do they measure up? From left: Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper, Mary Creagh, Tristam Hunt and Liz Kendall speak at the Progress annual conference in London on Saturday. Photograph: Laura Lean/PA Toby Helm Saturday 16 May 2015 19.04 EDT Last modified on Tuesday 19 July 2016 09.39 EDT Close SPEAKING HUMAN Ed Miliband was taunted by political opponents, often unfairly, for always speaking like a policy wonk. So can the new leader relate better to voters? Andy Burnham, MP for Leigh He likes to talk about football (he’s an Everton fan) to anyone who'll listen, before getting on to politics.

Can explain complex issues like the future of the Health Service or education without resorting to jargon. He’s a charmer. Yvette Cooper, MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford Serious often but feisty, and impressive on TV; has often fielded by Labour on Question Time to take hard questions. A Harvard-educated economist and former journalist, she is good at the communications game, though some say she can be wooden. Liz Kendall, MP for Leicester West Good at soundbites and personable, if sometimes over-intense. Cuts through jargon well. Prepared to be blunt. Said of the use private sector in the NHS that “what matters is what works” with a Blairite zeal that endeared her to that wing of the party. Mary Creagh, MP for Wakefield Speaks well, with good one-liners. “We’ve got to have a much bolder vision for our future, much bigger ambitions for people in this country.” Good company and humour. Tristram Hunt, MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central Strong in front of a camera.

A TV historian who can talk a good game, although sometimes seen as being too relaxed he talked good human on Question Time last when he was outed for being more than a bit interested in the leadership. Does he sound too posh? JOHN LEWIS APPEAL? Tristram Hunt launched the concept of a John Lewis voter, saying Labour would only win if it championed aspirational middle class voters who shop there, and at Waitrose. Andy Burnham A Liverpool boy, a lad at heart, but he was a member of Tony Blair’s and Gordon Brown’s governments. He doesn’t like the mansion tax, and says the public sees it aspart of a “politics of envy” which no one likes. Did his assault on NHS privatisation position him too close to Old Labour for middle-class southern voters’ taste? Yvette Cooper Cooper will have no problem with appealing to middle-class aspirational voters, although in tandem with addressing working-class concerns like those of her constituents. Liz Kendall Espouses the causes of John Lewis voters in spades. Talks lots about aspiration and believes Labour failed to identify sufficiently with them under Ed Miliband’s leadership. Very New Labour.

Mary Creagh Aspiration is a favourite word, would want to fold John Lewis shoppers into her Labour big tent. Once accused her fellow Labour MPs of shunning her because she spoke with a middle-class, southern accent. Tristram Hunt Will be known, if not careful, as the John Lewis candidate. Privately educated and Oxbridge, he is passionate, though, about regeneration of urban communities and has done an impressive job in selling his Stoke constituency as a place to invest. FRIENDS IN THE NORTH? Labour failed to win key marginals in the north and lost working-class voters to Ukip in droves. Miliband was seen as too southern so how does the party reconnect in northern heartlands? Andy Burnham Retains a strong Liverpool accent and is a local hero in the city of his birth, having campaigned relentlessly for the families of victims of the Hillsborough disaster. Cambridge educated but very much clings on to his northern roots. Yvette Cooper Born in Scotland, she has been the MP for Pontefract and Castleford since 1997 (since 2010 it has been Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford).

Strong on the need for Labour to rebuild trust with working-class voters to see off Ukip. Liz Kendall Was born in Watford, middle England that Blair won over in 1997, and was brought up in the nearby Tory commuter belt town of Abbots Langley. Now represents the Midlands constituency of Leicester West. Doesn’t have many obvious northern credentials, though says she wanted to go to Manchester University. She ended up at Queens College, Cambridge. Mary Creagh Creagh is popular in her Yorkshire constituency and supports devolution to the regions and a rebalancing of the economy towards the north. Tristram Hunt His home has been the south, and his education was in the south. His Stoke constituency has given him an interest in the the challenges facing working-class communities and he has spoken of the need to win back the north, as well as Scotland, as central to Labour’s future success. TRUSTED WITH MONEY?

Labour was not regarded as credible enough on the economy and was seen by voters as having spend too much in government Andy Burnham He says Labour should have worked to get the deficit down earlier when in government (effectively admitting it overspent), but he is adamant that the Tories have spun a lie that Labour was profligate. He says Cameron and Osborne vowed to at least match Labour’s spending when in opposition and says he will remind them of that at every opportunity. Yvette Cooper Cooper has not said that Labour overspent in government. Being married to Ed Balls, the former shadow chancellor, makes doing so extra difficult. But she defends what the party did with its money and accepts that fiscal discipline will key to Labour’s future credibility. Liz Kendall She has said Labour spent too much in government, probably more clearly than any other candidate. She says the party has to “wrap our arms around business”. “There are many good businesses that share our agenda, but they did not feel they could be part of what we were saying, because too much of the time they heard us attacking business, and giving the impression that profit is wrong,” she said.

Mary Creagh At a Progress meeting on Saturday she refused to say that Labour overspent in government and gave a robust defence of its record in improving public services through investment. “People have forgotten the economic credibility of the last Labour government.” Tristram Hunt At the the Progress meeting Hunt said Labour had overspent in government . “There was huge amounts of fixing the roof when the sun was shining but what we didn’t do was leave enough economic headroom to cope with the financial crash and global recession.” CHARISMA QUOTIENT Labour needs its new leader to excite the public, to be dynamic, a good communicator and to have star quality Andy Burnham Knows how to perform, is smart, crisp and clear. No one can say he is not a good bloke but he has been around a bit for those who prefer a new face. Yvette Cooper Linked with the Blair-Brown years. Can also seem a bit stern at times, but a bid to become Labour’s first full-time female leader will give campaign extra interest. Liz Kendall Has performed OK on the media so far but she’s fairly untried and the charisma might start to show as she gains confidence and experience on the big stage.

Mary Creagh Personable and bold and has the benefit of a position of being virtually unknown on the national stage. The star qualities, if she has them, may start to emerge with more exposure. Tristram Hunt Telegenic and fluent, Hunt has been a media hit and is not afraid of big stage. The question is not whether he looks and sounds good. He does. It is whether Labour can have a leader called Tristram. Topics Labour leadership: At-a-glance guide to the contenders - BBC News Labour leadership: At-a-glance guide to the contenders 12 September 2015 Image copyright Getty Images The candidates: Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper, Jeremy Corbyn and Liz Kendall Key dates: Ballot papers will be sent out on 14 August; voting can take place by post or online. They must be returned by 10 September. The result is on 12 September Who can vote? All party members, registered supporters and affiliated supporters - including those joining via a union The voting system? The Alternative Vote system is being used so voters are asked to rank candidates in order of preference How does it work?

If no candidate gets 50% of all votes cast, the candidate in fourth place is eliminated. Their second preference votes are then redistributed among the remaining three. If there is still no winner, the third place candidate is eliminated with their preferences redistributed. It is then a head-to-head between the last two candidates Andy Burnham Image copyright Getty Images The Labour MP for Leigh since 2001, Andy Burnham has plenty of government experience. He served as health secretary under Gordon Brown and previously as culture secretary and chief secretary to the Treasury. He stood for the leadership in 2010 but lost out to Ed Miliband, going on to hold the shadow health brief under Mr Miliband's leadership. Declaring his intention to stand, he said Labour must support the "aspirations of everyone". Mr Burnham says he'll widen Labour's appeal by taking the party out of the "Westminster bubble", with a vision to helping "everyone get on in life". Media captionAndy Burnham: Modern Labour 'couldn't have created NHS' He has also pledged to take a tougher line on opposition to the government's welfare reforms, following a split within the party over its stance not to oppose the welfare bill.

Mr Burnham is married with three children. Before he entered politics he worked for a newspaper and a publishing company. Yvette Cooper Image copyright HoP Another former chief secretary to the Treasury - as well as a work and pensions minister under Gordon Brown - Yvette Cooper has been shadow home secretary for the past four years. A strong Commons performer, she has given Home Secretary Theresa May a hard time over matters including passport delays, border controls and extremism. She did not stand to succeed Mr Brown in 2010 - her husband Ed Balls did. Announcing her bid this time around, she said: "Our promise of hope wasn't strong enough to drown out the Tory and UKIP voices of fear. That's what we need to change." She says she has the "strength, experience and progressive ideas" that Labour needs to win again, promising a "stronger" economy and "fairer, less divided society". Media captionYvette Cooper rejects claims her campaign is "boring" She says she wants to combat child poverty, has pledged to campaign against government plans to limit future child tax credit to two children and to bring about a childcare and digital "revolution". Ms Cooper is married to former Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls, and the couple have three children.

She worked as a journalist prior to her political career. Jeremy Corbyn Image copyright Labour The veteran left-wing MP for Islington North entered the contest to get an "anti-austerity" voice into the debate on Labour's future. The 66-year-old told his local newspaper, the Islington Gazette, he had decided to stand in response to an "overwhelming" desire among Labour members for a "broader" range of candidates. After a last-minute scramble for nominations, he made it on to the ballot paper just before the deadline thanks to a number of MPs who did not want him to be leader "lending" him their nominations "to broaden the debate". Mr Corbyn, who is promising to protect public services and increase taxes on the wealthy, was seen as a rank outsider, but support for his candidacy has risen significantly - with one poll putting him in the lead. His campaign has received trade union backing, with Unite and Unison - Britain's two biggest unions - among those endorsing his candidacy.

Media captionJeremy Corbyn criticises MPs' 'faux drama' in Parliament A vice-chair of CND and a columnist for the Morning Star, Mr Corbyn has frequently been at odds with his party over the past 20 years, opposing the Iraq war and other foreign interventions and backing public ownership of the banks. He also wants to scrap Britain's nuclear weapons programme, and tuition fees in England. Mr Corbyn has been married three times and has three children with his second wife. He used to be a trade union organiser and a Haringey councillor, in London. Liz Kendall Image copyright Getty Images Shadow health minister Liz Kendall was the first Labour MP to say they wanted a crack at the party's top job, saying a "fundamentally new approach" was needed. First elected to Parliament in 2010 as MP for Leicester West and appointed to the shadow front bench the same year, Ms Kendall is seen as a Blairite contender. She is a former special adviser to Harriet Harman and then Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt who has argued for reform of public services. Ms Kendall has acknowledged she is the "outside candidate" but says the party needs "a fresh start".

She rejected calls to stand down from the contest and back another candidate to beat Mr Corbyn. She says she'll regain the public's trust in Labour on the economy, promising sound public finances and protection of the poor and vulnerable. Her pitch stresses the need to make the party electable, saying that the party won't be able to help people if it is in opposition. Media captionLiz Kendall on the perceived sexism she says she's received on her campaign Ms Kendall is not married and does not have children. She worked for two think-tanks: the Institute for Public Policy Research and the King's Fund, and was also a political adviser to Harriet Harman in the 1990s. Liz Kendall's vision for government Deputy leadership contenders At the same time, a election is taking place for deputy leader, with five candidates in the frame. Ben Bradshaw Image copyright Getty Images A former journalist and Labour cabinet minister, Ben Bradshaw has been the MP for Exeter since 1997. He plans a "big tent" approach to ensure Labour does not miss out on votes in the south of England, saying the party has to "broaden its appeal".

Reflecting on who should replace Ed Miliband, he said: "I would prefer to see one of the new generation come forward rather than someone associated with the Blair and Brown era. "If we really want to win in 2020 - and I think we need to for the country's sake - I would like to see someone from the new generation without that baggage from the past." Stella Creasy Image copyright PA The Walthamstow MP has a growing reputation as a hard-working campaigning MP. Another from the 2010 intake, she was praised for campaign against payday loans companies, and has a strong following on social media. She told the Sunday Mirror : "Too many voters think Labour is no longer a movement for social justice but a machine that only kicks in to gear at election time." Angela Eagle Image copyright labour party Shadow Commons Leader Angela Eagle plans to travel the country to speak to people who did the "hard graft" in the election campaign. The MP for Wallasey said Labour could not be "complacent" if it was to reverse its general election defeat.

Ms Eagle, an MP since 1992, held a number of ministerial jobs during the last Labour government and in 2013 became chair of the Labour Party. She is arguably best-known for having a twin sister, Maria, who is also a Labour MP. Caroline Flint Image copyright PA The MP for Don Valley has been Labour's shadow energy and climate change secretary since 2011, after a stint heading up the Department for Communities and Local Government. Ms Flint held on to her current position in the latest shadow cabinet reshuffle. She also held various ministerial positions during Gordon Brown's premiership, but famously resigned as Europe minister after accusing him of treating her and her female colleagues as "window dressing". Tom Watson Image copyright Getty Images The MP for West Bromwich since 2001. He has made a name for himself as a prominent backbench campaigner against phone hacking and child sex abuse. He also played a minor role in the toppling of Tony Blair after resigning as a defence minister and calling for the-then PM to quit in the interest of party and country.

Watson became Labour's campaign chief under Ed Miliband but he quit after a he became embroiled in a row about the role of the Unite union in the candidate selection in Falkirk. Setting out his pitch for the job, he said: "I'm seeking the deputy leadership to do one thing: write and execute the election battle plan so that our new leader will be prime minister." Labour candidate for London Mayor Sadiq Khan was selected as Labour's candidate in next year's London mayoral race. He won 48,152 votes - a 58.9% share - in the fifth round of voting beating five other candidates. Sadiq Khan - selected Image copyright PA Sadiq Khan launched his bid to be London mayor with an attack on incumbent Boris Johnson, describing him as a "red carpet mayor, somebody who is fantastic going to openings, great with a flute of champagne in his hands". The son of a bus driver, Mr Khan worked as a human rights solicitor before becoming an MP in 2005. He is shadow London minister. A close ally of former Labour leader Ed Miliband, Mr Khan served in junior ministerial roles in Gordon Brown's government.

Mr Khan, the MP for Tooting, said his top priority if elected would be to tackle London's "housing crisis", ensuring "genuinely affordable homes to rent and buy". Mr Khan said he would also focus on affordable public transport and confirmed he had changed his mind on the issue of a third runway at Heathrow Airport over air pollution fears, and would be campaigning against expansion. Tessa Jowell - runner up Image copyright Getty Images Ex-minister Dame Tessa Jowell was regarded as the frontrunner going into the contest, but ultimately came second with 41.1% of the vote in the fifth round of voting. The former Dulwich and West Norwood MP, who stood down at the general election after 20 years in Parliament, earned widespread plaudits for the role she played in London's bid for the 2012 Olympics and her subsequent performance as Olympics minister. The former culture secretary, who was a psychiatric social worker before entering politics, was a key figure at the heart of New Labour - she once said she would "jump under a bus" for Tony Blair.

Diane Abbott - eliminated A familiar face to viewers of BBC One's This Week, Diane Abbott is a veteran left winger who first entered the Commons in 1987, as one of Britain's first black MPs. She came third in the vote. The Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP was shadow public health spokesman under Ed Miliband, after losing out to him in the 2010 Labour leadership contest. Launching her mayoral bid, she had said she would bring London's communities together and be the "genuinely independently minded Mayor that London needs". David Lammy - eliminated The MP for Tottenham, who placed fourth in the vote, was the first person to publicly weigh up a Labour leadership bid, telling the BBC that he would consider standing if colleagues wanted him to. But he later ruled himself out of the top job, saying his principal aim was to become Labour's candidate for Mayor of London in 2016, saying "my strengths are in London and the south". One of the most prominent black MPs in the party, the former barrister is regarded as being on the right of the party, having served as a minister under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

His national profile rose during the 2011 riots in London, when he appealed for calm and reconciliation in the wake of the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan in his north London constituency. Christian Wolmar - eliminated A journalist and railway historian, Christian Wolmar is one of Britain's most in-demand transport pundits, and was the only non-politician in the race. He came in fifth place, after David Lammy. He said he would be an "ideas driven mayor", avoiding "partisan and personality politics" - and promised during his campaign to tackle London's "housing crisis", improve the transport network and revitalise public spaces. The 65-year-old cycles to campaign meeting and claims to have clocked up more than 2,000 miles already. Gareth Thomas - eliminated Image copyright Labour Party The MP for Harrow West came in last place after being eliminated in the first round of voting with 1.2% of the vote. He had campaigned on a promise of more affordable homes, a better transport system and a living wage "that reflects the reality of living in our great city". Mr Thomas is a former international development minister and chairman of the Co-operative Party.

The non-runners: Mary Creagh - withdrew Image copyright Getty Images The shadow international development secretary announced her intention to join the race for the Labour leadership, via an article in the Daily Mail. However, with fewer nominations than anyone else in the field - and short of the 35 MP nomination target - she pulled out of the contest on 12 June. The Wakefield MP said she was "proud to have played my part" in the race but had decided to withdraw so her supporters could nominate another candidate. Chuka Umunna - withdrew Chuka Umunna was the second candidate to declare he would stand for election as leader of the Labour Party. A rising star of the party, the Streatham MP was first elected to Parliament in 2010 and appointed shadow business secretary the following year. He announced his intention to stand via a post on his Facebook page . He said he had spoken to half the Labour 80 candidates standing in Tory seats targeted by the party and other MPs before making his announcement. However, three days later Mr Umunna withdrew from the leadership contest.

He said in a statement posted on his Twitter feed that had been uncomfortable with the level of "sheer pressure" and scrutiny that came with being a candidate. The 36-year-old added that it had perhaps been "too soon" for him to launch a leadership bid. Rachel Reeves - ruled out Image copyright AFP Another rising star of the 2010 intake, the MP for Leeds West was appointed shadow chief secretary to the Treasury in 2011 and shadow work and pensions secretary in 2013. She told BBC News Labour needs "to be in the centre ground to win a general election" but ruled herself out of a leadership bid. Alan Johnson - ruled out A former home secretary and shadow chancellor, Alan Johnson is the Labour leadership candidate who never quite was. The popular MP declined to stand in 2010 and stepped down from his shadow cabinet role in 2011 for personal reasons. Earlier this year it was reported that senior New Labour figures Lord Mandelson and Alistair Campbell approached Mr Johnson over a leadership bid, although all three later distanced themselves from the story.

But the former postman, who has been MP for Hull West and Hessle since 1997, had seemingly ruled himself out again, saying it is a "10-year job" and he does not have the "right qualities". Dan Jarvis - ruled out Image copyright Other Former army officer Dan Jarvis was elected MP for Barnsley Central in a by-election in 2011, having resigned his commission as a major in the Parachute Regiment to contest the seat. After entering Parliament in 2010, he quickly became a shadow culture, media and sport minister and later a shadow justice minister. In 2011, Mr Jarvis became the first serving politician in more than 60 years to be awarded a military honour, when he was made an MBE for his services to the armed forces. He has been touted by some colleagues as a future Labour leader but Mr Jarvis, who was widowed in 2010 and has a young family, ruled himself out, saying it is not the "right time" for him and his family.

Tristram Hunt - ruled out Historian and journalist Tristram Hunt entered Parliament in 2010 as Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central and he became shadow education secretary in 2013. Speaking in the aftermath of the election results, he called on Labour's ruling National Executive Committee "not to rush our election", saying there was time for a "brutal post-mortem" about Labour's "underlying philosophy and thinking". As for his own ambitions, he said "it's about the lyrics as much as the lead singer I think". He later said he was not confident of getting enough nominations to stand, and would support Liz Kendall. Rushanara Ali - withdrew Rushanara Ali withdrew from the deputy leadership campaign shortly before the deadline for nominations after it became clear she would not garner enough support. Her exit allowed her supporters to transfer their backing to other candidates to enable them to get onto the ballot paper. She was praised by fellow candidate Ben Bradshaw for her "incredibly selfless" decision.

John Healey - withdrew Image copyright PA John Healey has pulled out of the race to be Labour's next deputy leader despite gaining the backing of 20 MPs, putting him within striking distance of the 35 needed to get on the ballot paper. When he entered the deputy race he said he was concerned about how "narrow and shallow" the debate about Labour's future direction has been so far. He now says he wants to give other candidates, from different wings of the party, a chance to be deputy. The 55-year old is backing Yvette Cooper for leader. Gloria de Piero - withdrew Image copyright Getty Images A former GMTV presenter, Gloria de Piero joined Parliament as the MP for Ashfield in 2010. She immediately rose to shadow ministerial ranks, taking on a culture, media and sport brief and then home affairs. She expressed an interest in becoming deputy leader but withdrew early in the contest, instead backing Tom Watson. Simon Danczuk - ruled out Image copyright Getty Images The MP for Rochdale says the deputy leader vacancy has "come a bit too soon" for him. He previously said a number of colleagues had asked him to put his name forward for the role.

Mr Danczuk is well known for his prominent campaigning against child sex abuse and leading calls for an inquiry into allegations of historical child sex abuse by senior figures at Westminster. He was a vocal critic of Ed Miliband and in an article for the Daily Telegraph on Thursday he said Labour needed to "step out if its Metropolitan comfort zone" and "reach out to the country once more." Keir Starmer - ruled out Image copyright Reuters The former director of public prosecutions has only just become an MP after being elected in Frank Dobson's old seat of Holborn and St Pancras, in North London at the general election. He was forced to rule himself out of the race to be Labour leader following a social media campaign urging him to stand. He said he was "flattered" by the campaign but the party needed someone with "more political experience". David Miliband - cannot stand in election The older brother of ex-leader Ed, David Miliband was frontrunner to replace Gordon Brown in 2010, until his sibling beat him by a whisker.

A former foreign secretary and MP for South Shields, he was the Blairite choice for leader but eventually quit Parliament to become head of the International Rescue Committee charity in New York in 2013. Speaking to the BBC from the US on the Monday after the general election, Mr Miliband criticised his brother's campaign in the 2015 general election, saying he and Mr Brown had "allowed themselves to be portrayed as moving backwards from the principles of aspiration and inclusion that are the absolute heart of any successful progressive political project". While he acknowledged the two men were "brothers for life", he also confirmed he was not eligible to stand for the party leadership as he is not an MP. Labour's election rules Image copyright AFP MPs wishing to stand as leader and deputy leader have to be nominated by 15% of their colleagues in the Parliamentary Labour Party to be eligible to stand. As Labour now has 232 MPs, this means prospective candidates had to get at least 34 signatures. That means the maximum size of any field is six contenders. Under rules agreed last year, all Labour Party members, registered supporters and affiliated supporters - including union members - will be allowed a maximum of one vote each on a one member, one vote system.

When the election is held, they will be asked to rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate gets 50% of all votes cast, the votes will be added up and the candidate with the fewest votes eliminated. Their 2nd preference votes will then be redistributed until one candidate has 50% of all votes cast. Chuka Umunna quits Labour-leader race - leaving way open for Leigh MP Andy Burnham - Manchester Evening News News Chuka Umunna quits Labour-leader race - leaving way open for Leigh MP Andy Burnham Bookies favourite withdraws saying he has 'very real concerns and worry about this bid's impact on those close to me' Share Andy Burnham and Chuka Umunna Share Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Chuka Umunna has dramatically quit the Labour leadership race - leaving Greater Manchester's Andy Burnham as the frontrunner for the job. Mr Umunna cited 'very real concerns and worry about this bid's impact on those close to me.' The shadow business secretary announced he was withdrawing from the contest to succeed Ed Miliband, just days after declaring he would be a candidate.

In a statement, the frontrunner to head the party's rebuilding after last week's general election defeat said he had underestimated the level of scrutiny to which he and his family would be subjected. "As a member of the shadow cabinet, I am used to a level of attention which is part and parcel of the job. I witnessed the 2010 leadership election process close up and thought I would be comfortable with what it involved. "However, since the night of our defeat last week, I have been subject to the added level of pressure that comes with being a leadership candidate. I have not found it to be a comfortable experience. "One can imagine what running for leader can be like, understand its demands and the attention but nothing compares to actually doing it and the impact on the rest of one's life. "Consequently, after further reflection I am withdrawing my candidacy." Mr Burnham, the shadow health secretary and Leigh MP, announced he was standing yesterday in a video where he pledged to united party and the country. He said: “The plain truth is this. The party that I love has lost its emotional connection with millions of people.

“The way to get it back can’t possibly be to choose one group of voters over another – to speak only to people on zero hour contracts or only to shoppers at John Lewis. “Our challenge is not to go left or right, to focus on one part of the country above another, but to rediscover the beating heart of Labour." Twitter battleground of the Labour leadership race candidates The boost given to Andy Burnham's leadership bid by Chuka Umunna withdrawing from the race is shown by a league table which shows which candidate has the most Twitter followers. The shadow health secretary is the most-followed MP on the social media site in Greater Manchester. Mr Burnham has 72,000 followers, more than any other MP in the region. The last time the M.E.N. ran this analysis, back in June 2012, he only had 27,000 followers - meaning he has gained followers at a rate of about 42 a day. He has more followers than rival for the Labour leadership, Yvette Cooper, who is on 62,800. But the pair trailed Mr Umunna, who boasted an impressive 119,000 Twitter followers.

Leicester West MP Liz Kendall, who is also hoping to fill Ed Miliband’s shoes, has a relatively paltry 27,100 faithful followers. Mr Burnham was the early favourite to lead the party and set out his stall for the top job in a video earlier this week. His Twitter page was given a make-over as the video announcing his candidacy hit the web. A logo at the told of the page includes the words ‘AB Heart of Labour’. His team is also attempting to get the #andy4leader and #heartoflabour hashtags trending. Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt is considering whether to throw his hat in the ring. If Twitter followers are anything to go by, he’s unlikely to pose Mr Burnham - or Mr Umunna - any problems. He’s has a measly 34,400 followers. Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee announced the result of the leadership and deputy leadership would be announced on Saturday September 12. Under the rules, candidates need the nominations of 15pc of the parliamentary party - 35 MPs - by June 15 in order to stand.

Contenders expected to run for the deputy leadership include Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk, Caroline Flint, Tom Watson, and Angela Eagle. Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, Wigan MP Lisa Nandy is second behind Mr Burnham, with 15,700 followers. She joined the social network in December 2009, meaning she has gained followers at a rate of just under eight a day on average. Three other Greater Manchester MPs all have followings above 15,000 - Kate Green, Lucy Powell and Jonathan Reynolds. The best-performing Tory in the region is David Nuttall. Mr Nuttall, who held on to his Bury North seat by just 378 votes, has just over 4,000 followers on the social network. Like us on Facebook Most Read Most Recent Who nominated who for the 2015 Labour leadership election? 15 June 2015 Who nominated who for the 2015 Labour leadership election? The leadership candidates needed the signatures of 35 MPs to make the ballot. Here's who backed whom.

Sign up for our weekly email * Print HTML Andy Burnham, Liz Kendall, Yvette Cooper and Jeremy Corbyn have all made it onto the ballot paper for the Labour leadership race. Burnham, the bookies' favourite, squares off against Liz Kendall, from the party's modernising tendency, Cooper, from the party's centre, and Corbyn, from the party's left flank. The Labour leadership hopefuls needed 35 MPs to nominate them in order to run. Mary Creagh was unable to secure the support she needed and dropped out. Neither the departed leader, Ed Miliband, or the acting leader, Harriet Harman, nominated a candidate. The Chief Whip, Rosie Winterton, and the chair of the PLP, Jon Cryer, also stayed out of the race, as did Lindsay Hoyle, the deputy speaker of the Commons, and Ian Murray, the shadow secretary of state for Scotland. A further 22 MPs also refrained from nominating anyone. Who nominated who?

Debbie Abrahams MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth Heidi Alexander MP for Lewisham East Dave Anderson MP for Blaydon Hilary Benn MP for Leeds Central Luciana Berger MP for Liverpool, Wavertree Clive Betts MP for Sheffield South East Paul Blomfield MP for Sheffield Central Kevin Brennan MP for Cardiff West Andrew Burnham MP for Leigh Julie Cooper MP for Burnley David Crausby MP for Bolton North East Alex Cunningham MP for Stockton North Wayne David MP for Caerphilly Peter Dowd MP for Bootle Michael Dugher MP for Barnsley East Bill Esterson MP for Sefton Central Paul Farrelly MP for Newcastle-Under-Lyme Rob Flello MP for Stoke-On-Trent South Yvonne Fovargue MP for Makerfield Pat Glass MP for North West Durham Mary Glindon MP for North Tyneside Lilian Greenwood MP for Nottingham South Margaret Greenwood MP for Wirral West Nia Griffith MP for Llanelli Andrew Gwynne MP for Denton and Reddish Harry Harpham MP for Sheffield Brightside & Hillsborough Carolyn Harris MP for Swansea East Stephen Hepburn MP for Jarrow Kate Hoey MP for Vauxhall Kate Hollern MP for Blackburn Dan Jarvis

 MP for Barnsley Central Graham Jones MP for Hyndburn Gerald Jones MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Barbara Keeley MP for Worsley and Eccles South Ian Lavery MP for Wansbeck Emma Lewell-Buck MP for South Shields Ian Lucas MP for Wrexham Holly Lynch MP for Halifax Justin Madders MP for Ellesmere Port and Neston Rachael Maskell MP for York Central Chris Matheson MP for City of Chester Kerry McCarthy MP for Bristol East Andy McDonald MP for Middlesbrough Conor McGinn MP for St Helens North Liz McInnes MP for Heywood and Middleton Alan Meale MP for Mansfield Ian Mearns MP for Gateshead Lisa Nandy MP for Wigan Albert Owen MP for Ynys Mon Teresa Pearce MP for Erith and Thamesmead Lucy Powell MP for Manchester Central Yasmin Qureshi MP for Bolton South East Angela Rayner MP for Ashton-Under-Lyne Jamie Reed MP for Copeland Christina Rees MP for Neath Rachel Reeves MP for Leeds West Steve Rotheram MP for Liverpool, Walton Owen Smith MP for Pontypridd Jeff Smith MP for Manchester Withington Keir Starmer MP for Holborn and St Pancras Jo Stevens MP for Cardiff Central

 Nick Thomas-Symonds MP for Torfaen Anna Turley MP for Redcar Karl Turner MP for Kingston Upon Hull East Derek Twigg MP for Halton Valerie Vaz MP for Walsall South Alan Whitehead MP for Southampton Test Iain Wright MP for Hartlepool Jon Ashworth MP for Leicester South Ian Austin MP for Dudley North Adrian Bailey MP for West Bromwich West Roberta Blackman-Woods MP for City of Durham Lyn Brown MP for West Ham Nick Brown MP for Newcastle Upon Tyne East Chris Bryant MP for Rhondda Karen Buck MP for Westminster North Richard Burden MP for Birmingham, Northfield Liam Byrne MP for Birmingham, Hodge Hill Ruth Cadbury MP for Brentford and Isleworth Ann Clwyd MP for Cynon Valley Vernon Coaker MP for Gedling Yvette Cooper MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford Judith Cummins MP for Bradford South Jim Cunningham MP for Coventry South Nic Dakin MP for Scunthorpe Geraint Davies MP for Swansea West Thangam Debbonaire MP for Bristol West Jack Dromey MP for Birmingham, Erdington Maria Eagle MP for Garston and Halewood Jim Fitzpatrick MP for Poplar and Limehouse Coleen Fletcher MP for Coventry North East V

icky Foxcroft MP for Lewisham, Deptford Helen Goodman MP for Bishop Auckland Kate Green MP for Stretford and Urmston Fabian Hamilton MP for Leeds North East David Hanson MP for Delyn Sue Hayman MP for Workington John Healey MP for Wentworth and Dearne Sharon Hodgson MP for Washington and Sunderland West George Howarth MP for Knowsley Diana Johnson MP for Hull North Kevan Jones MP for North Durham Helen Jones MP for Warrington North Stephen Kinnock MP for Aberavon Chris Leslie MP for Nottingham East Khalid Mahmood MP for Birmingham, Perry Barr Shabana Mahmood MP for Birmingham, Ladywood Seema Malhotra MP for Feltham and Heston John Mann MP for Bassetlaw Stephen McCabe MP for Birmingham, Selly Oak Catherine McKinnell MP for Newcastle Upon Tyne North Madeleine Moon MP for Bridgend Melanie Onn MP for Great Grimsby Matthew Pennycook MP for Greenwich and Woolwich Jess Phillips MP for Birmingham Yardley Bridget Phillipson MP for Houghton and Sunderland South Stephen Pound MP for Ealing North Marie Rimmer MP for St Helens South and Whiston Geoffrey Robinson MP for Coventry North West Naz Shah MP for Bradford West Virendra

 Sharma MP for Ealing, Southall Paula Sherriff MP for Dewsbury Andrew Slaughter MP for Hammersmith Ruth Smeeth MP for Stoke-on-Trent North Karin Smyth MP for Bristol South John Spellar MP for Warley Daniel Zeichner MP for Cambridge Diane Abbott MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington Rushanara Ali MP for Bethnal Green and Bow Margaret Beckett MP for Derby South Richard Burgon MP for Leeds East Dawn Butler MP for Brent Central Ronnie Campbell MP for Blyth Valley Sarah Champion MP for Rotherham Jeremy Corbyn MP for Islington North Jo Cox MP for Batley and Spen Neil Coyle MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark Jon Cruddas MP for Dagenham Clive Efford MP for Eltham Frank Field MP for Birkenhead Louise Haigh MP for Sheffield, Heeley Kelvin Hopkins MP for Luton North Rupa Huq MP for Ealing Central and Acton Imran Hussain MP for Bradford East Huw Irranca-Davies MP for Ogmore Sadiq Khan MP for Tooting David Lammy MP for Tottenham Clive Lewis MP for Norwich South Rebecca Long-Bailey MP for Salford and Eccles Gordon Marsden MP

 for Blackpool South John McDonnell MP for Hayes and Harlington Michael Meacher MP for Oldham West and Royton Grahame Morris MP for Easington Chi Onwurah MP for Newcastle Upon Tyne Central Kate Osamor MP for Edmonton Tulip Siddiq MP for Hampstead and Kilburn Dennis Skinner MP for Bolsover Cat Smith MP for Lancaster and Fleetwood Andrew Smith MP for Oxford East Gareth Thomas MP for Harrow West Emily Thornberry MP for Islington South and Finsbury Jon Trickett MP for Hemsworth Catherine West MP for Hornsey and Wood Green Kevin Barron MP for Rother Valley Tom Blenkinsop MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Jenny Chapman MP for Darlington Ann Coffey MP for Stockport Simon Danczuk MP for Rochdale Gloria De Piero MP for Ashfield Stephen Doughty MP for Cardiff South and Penarth Jim Dowd MP for Lewisham West & Penge Julie Elliott MP for Sunderland Central Louise Ellman MP for Liverpool, Riverside Chris Evans MP for Islwyn Paul Flynn MP for Newport West Mike Gapes MP for Ilford South Mark Hendrick MP for Preston Margaret Hodge MP for Barking Tristram Hunt MP for Stoke-On-Trent Central Mike Kane MP

 for Wythenshawe and Sale East Liz Kendall MP for Leicester West Peter Kyle MP for Hove Ivan Lewis MP for Bury South Fiona Mactaggart MP for Slough Siobhain McDonagh MP for Mitcham and Morden Pat McFadden MP for Wolverhampton South East Alison McGovern MP for Wirral South Jessica Morden MP for Newport East Toby Perkins MP for Chesterfield CLP Steve Reed MP for Croydon North Johnny Reynolds MP for Stalybridge and Hyde Emma Reynolds MP for Wolverhampton North East Joan Ryan MP for Enfield North Barry Sheerman MP for Huddersfield Gavin Shuker MP for Luton South Nick Smith MP for Blaenau Gwent Angela Smith MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge Wes Streeting MP for Ilford North Gisela Stuart MP for Birmingham, Edgbaston Stephen Timms MP for East Ham Stephen Twigg MP for Liverpool, West Derby Chuka Umunna MP for Streatham Phil Wilson MP for Sedgefield John Woodcock MP for Barrow and Furness Susan Elan Jones MP for Clwyd South Helen Hayes MP for Dulwich and West Norwood Alan Campbell MP for Tynemouth Alan Johnson MP for West Hull and Hessle Rosie Cooper MP

 for West Lancashire Angela Eagle MP for Wallasey Barry Gardiner MP for Brent North Ben Bradshaw MP for Exeter Caroline Flint MP for Don Valley David Winnick MP for Wallsall North Ed Miliband MP for Doncaster North Gerald Kaufman MP for Manchester Gorton Graham Allen MP for Nottingham North Graham Stringer MP for Blackley and Broughton Harriet Harman MP for Camberwell and Peckham Stella Creasy MP for Walthamstow Rob Marris MP for Wolverhampton South West John Cryer MP for Leyton and Wanstead Rosie Winterton MP for Doncaster Central Keith Vaz MP for Leicester East Lindsay Hoyle MP for Chorley Roger Godsiff MP for Birmingham Hall Green Mark Tami MP for Alyn and Deeside Meg Hillier MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch Natascha Engel MP for North East Derbyshire Tom Watson MP for West Bromwich East listen to ‘NS #97: What makes us bored?’ on audioBoom Close This week’s magazine Getty 20 January 2017 Donald Trump ushers in a new era of kakistocracy: government by the worst people Trump will lead the whitest, most male cabinet in memory – a bizarre melange of

 the unqualified and the unhinged.

Sign up to the Staggers Morning Call email * Print HTML “What fills me with doubt and dismay is the degradation of the moral tone,” wrote the American poet James Russell Lowell in 1876, in a letter to his fellow poet Joel Benton. “Is it or is it not a result of democracy? Is ours a ‘government of the people by the people for the people’, or a kakistocracy rather, for the benefit of knaves at the cost of fools?” Is there a better, more apt description of the incoming Trump administration than “kakistocracy”, which translates from the Greek literally as government by the worst people? The new US president, as Barack Obama remarked on the campaign trail, is “uniquely unqualified” to be commander-in-chief. There is no historical analogy for a President Trump. He combines in a single person some of the worst qualities of some of the worst US presidents: the Donald makes Nixon look honest, Clinton look chaste, Bush look smart.

Trump began his tenure as president-elect in November by agreeing to pay out $25m to settle fraud claims brought against the now defunct Trump University by dozens of former students; he began the new year being deposed as part of his lawsuit against a celebrity chef. On 10 January, the Federal Election Commission sent the Trump campaign a 250-page letter outlining a series of potentially illegal campaign contributions. A day later, the head of the non-partisan US Office of Government Ethics slammed Trump’s plan to step back from running his businesses as “meaningless from a conflict-of-interest perspective”. It cannot be repeated often enough: none of this is normal. There is no precedent for such behaviour, and while kakistocracy may be a term unfamiliar to most of us, this is what it looks like. Forget 1876: be prepared for four years of epic misgovernance and brazen corruption. Despite claiming in his convention speech, “I alone can fix it,” the former reality TV star won’t be governing on his own. He will be in charge of the richest, whitest, most male cabinet in living memory; a bizarre melange of the unqualified and the unhinged.

There has been much discussion about the lack of experience of many of Trump’s appointees (think of the incoming secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, who has no background in diplomacy or foreign affairs) and their alleged bigotry (the Alabama senator Jeff Sessions, denied a role as a federal judge in the 1980s following claims of racial discrimination, is on course to be confirmed as attorney general). Yet what should equally worry the average American is that Trump has picked people who, in the words of the historian Meg Jacobs, “are downright hostile to the mission of the agency they are appointed to run”. With their new Republican president’s blessing, they want to roll back support for the poorest, most vulnerable members of society and don’t give a damn how much damage they do in the process. Take Scott Pruitt, the Oklahoma attorney general selected to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Pruitt describes himself on his LinkedIn page as “a leading advocate against the EPA’s activist agenda” and has claimed that the debate over climate change is “far from settled”. The former neurosurgeon Ben Carson is Trump’s pick for housing and urban development, a department with a $49bn budget that helps low-income families own homes and pay the rent.

Carson has no background in housing policy, is an anti-welfare ideologue and ruled himself out of a cabinet job shortly after the election. “Dr Carson feels he has no government experience,” his spokesman said at the time. “He’s never run a federal agency. The last thing he would want to do was take a position that could cripple the presidency.” The fast-food mogul Andrew Puzder, who was tapped to run the department of labour, doesn’t like . . . well . . . labour. He prefers robots, telling Business Insider in March 2016: “They’re always polite . . . They never take a vacation, they never show up late, there’s never a slip-and-fall, or an age, sex or race discrimination case.” The billionaire Republican donor Betsy DeVos, nominated to run the department of education, did not attend state school and neither did any of her four children. She has never been a teacher, has no background in education and is a champion of school vouchers and privatisation.

To quote the education historian Diane Ravitch: “If confirmed, DeVos will be the first education secretary who is actively hostile to public education.” The former Texas governor Rick Perry, nominated for the role of energy secretary by Trump, promised to abolish the department that he has been asked to run while trying to secure his party’s presidential nomination in 2011. Compare and contrast Perry, who has an undergraduate degree in animal science but failed a chemistry course in college, with his two predecessors under President Obama: Dr Ernest Moniz, the former head of MIT’s physics department, and Dr Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist from Berkeley. In many ways, Perry, who spent the latter half of 2016 as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars, is the ultimate kakistocratic appointment. “Do Trump’s cabinet picks want to run the government – or dismantle it?” asked a headline in the Chicago Tribune in December. That’s one rather polite way of putting it.

Another would be to note, as the Online Etymology Dictionary does, that kakistocracy comes from kakistos, the Greek word for “worst”, which is a superlative of kakos, or “bad”, which “is related to the general Indo-European word for ‘defecate’”. Mehdi Hasan has rejoined the New Statesman as a contributing editor and will write a fortnightly column on US politics Mehdi Hasan is a contributing writer for the New Statesman and the co-author of Ed: The Milibands and the Making of a Labour Leader. He was the New Statesman's senior editor (politics) from 2009-12. Andy Burnham MP, Leigh - TheyWorkForYou TheyWorkForYou Andy Burnham campaigned to remain in the European Union Let your MP know how you feel – Source: BBC Andy Burnham’s voting in Parliament Andy Burnham is a Labour MP, and on the vast majority of issues votes the same way as other Labour MPs. This is a selection of Andy Burnham’s votes.

Generally voted against fewer MPs in the House of Commons Show votes Almost always voted against reducing housing benefit for social tenants deemed to have excess bedrooms (which Labour describe as the "bedroom tax") Show votes Voted a mixture of for and against a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU Show votes Voted a mixture of for and against a more proportional system for electing MPs Show votes Almost always voted for paying higher benefits over longer periods for those unable to work due to illness or disability Show votes Consistently voted for raising welfare benefits at least in line with prices Show votes We have lots more plain English analysis of Andy Burnham’s voting record on issues like health, welfare, taxation and more. Visit Andy Burnham’s full vote analysis page for more. Andy Burnham has never rebelled against their party in the current parliament. Last updated: 9 Jan 2017. 2.

(b) Any other support not included in Category 2 (a) Name of donor: LionLike Management Ltd Address of donor: 645 Warrington Road, Rainhill, Merseyside L35 4LY Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £10,000 to support my campaign for the Labour candidacy for Mayor of Greater Manchester Date accepted: 4 July 2016 Donor status: company, registration 7211285 (Registered 04 July 2016) Name of donor: Gabriel Scally Address of donor: private Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £5,000 to support my campaign for the Labour candidacy for Mayor of Greater Manchester Date received: 3 June 2016 Date accepted: 27 June 2016 Donor status: individual Name of donor: Quatro Public Relations Ltd Address of donor: Leigh Saxton Green LLP , Mutual House, 70 Conduit Street, London W1S 2GF Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Secondment of one member of staff, between 31 May and 5 August 20

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Date received: 31 May 2016 to 5 August 2016 Date accepted: 31 May 2016 Donor status: company, registration 06056821 (Registered 06 July 2016) Name of donor: Dr Kailash Chand Malhotra Address of donor: private Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £2,500 to support my campaign for the Labour candidacy for Mayor of Greater Manchester Date received: 6 July 2016 Date accepted: 6 July 2016 Donor status: individual Name of donor: Gabriel Scally Address of donor: private Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £1,000 to support my campaign for the Labour candidacy for Mayor of Greater Manchester Date received: 2 August 2016 Date accepted: 2 August 2016 Donor status: individual Name of donor: UCATT ( Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians ) Address of donor: 177 Abbeville Road, London SW4 9RL Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £2

,000 to support my campaign to be Mayor of Greater Manchester.

Date received: 6 October 2016 Date accepted: 6 October 2016 Donor status: trade union (Registered 13 October 2016) 6. Land and property portfolio: (i) value over Â£100,000 and/or (ii) giving rental income of over Â£10,000 a year Flat in London: (i) and (ii). (Registered 29 June 2012 ) Leigh MP Andy Burnham is now bookies' favourite to be next Labour leader - but is he too old at 45? - Manchester Evening News Leigh MP Andy Burnham is now bookies' favourite to be next Labour leader - but is he too old at 45? Party insiders are already suggesting he should step aside for a younger, fresher face Share Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Leigh MP Andy Burnham has emerged as the bookies favourite to replace Ed Miliband as the Labour leader. The 45-year-old is the frontrunner to win the next leadership contest and has strong support among trade unions.

He came fourth out of the five contenders in the 2010 contest but is now being lined up to lead the party after Mr Miliband stepped down following Labour’s shocking display at the General Election . Holding the key health brief in government and opposition for most of the last six years has helped make him a darling of the Labour grassroots . The passionate Everton fan’s credentials were also enhanced by his instrumental role in having the inquiry into the Hillsborough disaster reopened as a cabinet minister in 2009. But one former cabinet member believes Mr Burnham should not enter the contest though and should make way for younger challengers who can make the party a real threat to the Tories. The leading Blairite said the 'bitter' defeat at the polls had set the party back 30 years, blaming the lack of public appetite for an 'old-school socialist menu'. The National Executive Committee will meet early next week to set a timetable for a contest to replace both him and deputy leader Harriet Harman who will quit that post after steering the party through the interim.

Tristram Hunt Some in the party have urged a swift process to deny the Tories a chance to define the agenda, but others - including shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt , a potential candidate - have urged a longer period of reflection. Lord Hutton, who held a number of senior roles including defence and business secretary under Tony Blair, said Labour could only win again “by taking a very careful look at ourselves and asking ourselves some very important questions about our nature and our characteristics as a political party”. “Labour has got to reflect very carefully on the lessons that we should draw from this election defeat. It is a very bitter one for us and we are now almost back to where we were 30 years ago in terms of number of MPs and our popular support. “I think a few of us, after the success we had in the 90s and 2000s, thought we would ever be in this position again. But we are in this position again.

We have got to pick ourselves up, to ask ourselves some very difficult questions, about the kind of party we want to be.” Asked who he thought was capable of leading that process, he said: “I think it’s probably time for a new generation of Labour politicians to step forward now. And I think there will be many who will and I hope we have a vibrant and interesting election campaign. “Both Andy and Yvette Cooper are outstanding politicians who have contributed so much to a party and to our government and to our country. My own personal view is that we probably do need a generational change, a new generation of younger politicians who can grapple with the enormous challenges that they face So who might Mr Burnham be up against? Yvette Cooper Labour has never elected a female leader - Margaret Beckett and Harriet Harman have both stepped up temporarily from the deputy role - and Ms Cooper has long been tipped to be the first. One stumbling block to a tilt at the top job - the leadership ambitions of her husband Ed Balls - has been dramatically removed by the voters of Morley and Outwood who voted him out of the Commons.

The shadow home secretary has built a reputation as a safe pair of hands in a succession of ministerial and opposition jobs, rarely if ever finding herself embroiled in controversy. But, like with Mr Burnham, she may be considered too much a part of the old guard by a party seeking a new start. Chuka Umunna A rapid rise to the shadow cabinet makes it easy to forget the he has only been an MP since 2010 so could certainly be presented as a fresh face. The sharp-suited, smooth-talking former employment lawyer has made a mark as shadow business secretary and has previously declined to rule out a leadership bid. In 2011 the sometime DJ who ridicules the 'British Obama' epithet attached to him as the man most likely to become Britain’s first ethnic minority party leader, said it would be 'arrogant' to claim to be the best candidate but raised the prospect of a vacancy around now. Liz Kendall The shadow health minister has been touted as a potential torch bearer for the Blairite right of the party, recently burnishing her claim to that market-friendly mantle with a bold declaration that 'what works' should be the priority for the NHS.

By striking such a distinct tone from Mr Burnham - to whom she was number two in the shadow health team - she was considered by Westminster watchers to have signalled her ambition. A former special adviser to Harriet Harman and then health secretary Patricia Hewitt - whose Commons seat in Leicester she inherited - she has a background in health bodies and charities. Dan Jarvis Consistently tipped as the dark horse in the potential field of replacements for Mr Miliband, the Barnsley Central MP certainly appeals to those seeking a move away from career politicians. In 2011 he ended a 15-year career as a Para, including tours in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo and as a special forces support group company commander, for a safe seat in the Commons - the first to make such a switch since the Second World War. The married father-of-three was quickly handed shadow ministerial roles in culture and justice. He swerved the question of whether he would throw his hat in the ring after increasing his majority in Barnsley Central in the General Election.

Alan Johnson The veteran ex-cabinet minister’s name will inevitably crop up in speculation about the possible line-up of candidates despite insisting recently that he had never stood for the leadership of his party and “regardless of the circumstances never will”. His stature in the party was in evidence last year when he was said to have been approached by senior figures in the party to consider taking on the role amid a bout of internal wobbles over Mr Miliband’s performance. A former postman and senior union official whose memoir of a poverty-ravaged childhood in London slums proved an instant hit, he was Mr Miliband’s first choice as shadow chancellor before quitting for personal reasons. John McDonnell/Diane Abbott One or both could emerge as a challenger from the left of the party. Mr McDonnell, chair of the Socialist Campaign Group, has been a consistent critic of party leaderships and sought to challenge the unopposed handover from Tony Blair to Gordon Brown but failed to secure sufficient backers. In 2010 he abandoned his leadership bid to allow a better run for Ms Abbott, the outspoken veteran who eventually came last in the contest won by Mr Miliband.

Like us on Facebook Most Read Most Recent Labour leadership crisis: the runners and the riders - Telegraph Labour leadership crisis: the runners and the riders Labour MPs are discussing the removal of Ed Miliband as leader. Who could replace him? Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper, Alan Johnson, Chuka Umunna and Rachel Reeves are potential successors to Miliband By Matthew Holehouse , Political Correspondent 8:03PM GMT 06 Nov 2014 Follow Ed Miliband has been forced to defend his leadership amid a slew of negative briefings and claims that a letter was being circulated calling for him to stand aside for the good of the party. His leadership was savaged by the New Statesman , the left-wing magazine that backed him for the top job in 2010, which branded him an "old-style Hampstead socialist" who does not understand the "lower middle class or material aspiration". The magazine quoted one shadow cabinet minister as admitting "morale has never been lower" while a shadow minister said MPs were "all very, very concerned". The Labour leader used an unplanned television interview to try to dismiss talk of a plot against him.

Mr Miliband said: "This is nonsense, my focus, our focus is on the country and the things that matter to the people of this country, the cost of living crisis, the NHS, how we increase the prospects for the next generation who feel that life is not going to get better for them. That's where our focus is, that's where our focus stays." Related Articles Miliband dismisses plot rumours as 'nonsense' 06 Nov 2014 One party official said Mr Miliband is starting to show signs of personal strain over his party’s poor poll ratings. “He’s been lashing out, blaming people, which is out of character.” Speculation is already mounting as to who could take his place. Here are the runners and the riders. Andy Burnham Shadow Health Secretary, 44, MP for Leigh. Burnham has won the affection of trade unions and Labour’s rank and file by championing the National Health Service in emotional terms. He won rousing applause at Labour conference by promising to “complete Nye Bevan’s vision” and “put people before profit”. The Tories repeatedly point out that he was the Health Secretary during the Mid Staffs scandal and the New Labour era of increased marketisation.

Unite boss Len McCluskey say he is the “person that impresses me most”. His dogged campaigning on the Hillsborough tragedy has won admiration across Parliament. Yvette Cooper Shadow Home Secretary, 45, MP for Pontefract and Castleford Regarded as the Shadow Cabinet’s most effective performer at the Despatch Box who regularly matches Theresa May. In any contest she would have the mighty machine of Ed Balls, the shadow chancellor and her husband. She is the only candidate with comparable reach into the union movement as Mr Burnham. Alan Johnson Former Home Secretary, 64, MP for Kingston upon Hull The unity candidate to steer Labour out its darkest hour, the former postman is everything Mr Miliband is not: experienced, at ease, popular with the backbenches and with a compelling life story. His self-deprecating joke about buying a copy of Economics for Dummies when handed the shadow chancellor brief in 2010 gave ammunition to the Tories. Shadow Cabinet sources say his position in recent weeks has shifted from “no way” to “no, but…”.

Chuka Umunna Shadow business secretary, 36, MP for Streatham A former City lawyer and disciple of Lord Mandelson, he is one of the few members of the shadow cabinet who can put big business at ease. He wants Labour to talk again about aspiration, and said he could send his children to private school. He has delighted Labour activists, and rebutted critics who say he is overly smooth, by breaking with the silent shadow cabinet to denounce Ukip as vile racists. Rachel Reeves Shadow welfare secretary, 35, MP for Leeds West A former UK junior chess champion and Bank of England economist, her rise has been meteoric, entering Mr Miliband’s shadow cabinet 18 months after her election. She has assiduously built up a base in the party, sending congratulatory letters to every Labour candidate selected. One TV producer dismissed her as "boring-snoring".

Question: Which candidate in the Labour leadership election of 2010 is MP for Leigh?
Answer: Andy Burnham