Farage sticks EU oar into leadership debate

LABOUR’S leadership hopefuls participated in an eventful hustings debate on live radio yesterday afternoon which saw the candidates upstaged by Ukip leader Nigel Farage.

Left-wing front-runner Jeremy Corbyn also used the broadcast to suggest that he would consider abolishing public schools.

Mr Farage introduced himself as “Nigel from Kent”, to challenge the Labour candidates over whether they could ever see themselves voting No in the referendum on EU membership. Mr Farage’s intervention was mocked by Labour leadership candidate Andy Burnham, who said: “It’s the man from Gogglebox!”

Liz Kendall said she was a Yes voter “first and last and always”, Yvette Cooper said: “If I thought it wasn’t in Britain’s interest, I would vote No, but I think it is in Britain’s interests.”

Asked if there were circumstances in which he might vote No, Mr Burnham said: “There aren’t, because I always will believe that being in Europe is better for jobs in our country.”

Mr Corbyn suggested he was the only candidate who said he might vote to leave the EU saying that “if Europe becomes a totally brutal organisation which treats member states in the way it has treated Greece”, then it would lose the support of many people.

Mr Corbyn said he was the only candidate who said that he would give former Labour leader Ed Miliband a job in his shadow cabinet and would like him to be “very involved” in the area of the environment and climate change, saying: “I would want Ed to be doing what Ed did very well when he was Environment Secretary.”

Miss Kendall said: “I haven’t made decisions on my shadow cabinet and I don’t know what Ed will be doing in future.” Mr Burnham said he would be “loyal” to Mr Corbyn if the Left-winger won the Labour leadership and suggested he would serve in Mr Corbyn’s shadow cabinet.

Miss Kendall said she would not serve in Mr Corbyn’s shadow Cabinet, saying that it would keep Labour out of office until 2030. Miss Cooper said she would be “unlikely” to serve in Mr Corbyn’s shadow cabinet.

Mr Corbyn emerged as the winner in the debate with one caller referring to him as a “knight in shining armour”, while the presenter Iain Dale said he was winning in the polls because he was the only candidate to give straight answers to questions.