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Calls to halt Labour leadership race 'not helpful'

Calls to halt the Labour leadership race have been branded "unhelpful" after reports emerged today of an alleged "hard-left infiltration" of the party.

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Prescott: Blair's attack on Corbyn 'totally unacceptable'

John Prescott on the Today Programme Credit: Twitter/BBC Radio 4

John Prescott has blasted his former boss Tony Blair for "totally unacceptable" comments he made about left-wing leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn.

In a rare speech yesterday, Blair told the centrist think-tank Progress that anyone whose heart was with Corbyn should get a "transplant".

Incensed by this, former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott told BBC Radio 4 that Blair's intervention was "absolutely staggering".

He said: "To use that kind of language is just abuse. The Labour Party is about the heart as well as the head. To suggest that somebody should have a transplant if they are making decisions by the heart is totally unacceptable."

He also rejected claims that it would be a "disaster" for Labour if Mr Corbyn became leader and said it was Mr Blair's invasion of Iraq which had undermined support for the party.

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