Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna has called for Labour to unite behind the new party leader in an apparent offer of reconciliation from the party's modernising wing to leadership favourite Jeremy Corbyn.
He also welcomed a surge in party membership and support in the run up to the leadership contest saying that it was important not to "dismiss out of hand" criticism of New Labour.
Labour leadership favourite Jeremy Corbyn has slammed "appalling, disgusting and deeply offensive" claims that he is anti-Semitic, and denied any links to a controversial Lebanese activist.
The left-wing politician is leading the polls to win the party's top job, but had been targeted by allegations of dealings with extremists and suggestions that some of his supporters have been targeting Jewish people online.
During a call-in on BBC Radio 4's World At One programme, he said:
When asked why he had called Palestinian militant group Hamas "friends" during a Parliament meeting, he said he had been using "diplomatic language" and that the comment had been taken "seriously out of context".
He also denied knowing Lebanese extremist Dyab Abou Jahjah, after photographs emerged appearing to show them together.
Labour's Chuka Umunna urged his party to unite around its new leader in an apparent offer of reconciliation to left-winger Jeremy Corbyn.
Some 3,000 infiltrators have been discovered and barred from voting in the Labour leadership contest, a party source has told ITV News.
The Labour leadership candidates will meet with acting leader Harriet Harman after accusations the vote was infiltrated by opponents.