Sir Keir Starmer has been put under pressure to urgently suspend Labour's deputy leadership race after Lord Blunkett demanded an "urgent review".
Speaking to the BBC, Lord Blunkett said: Well my reaction on Sunday night, and I did ring up people and say: ‘Couldn’t we get out of this? Can’t we actually postpone?’
“I suggested suspending the deputy leadership campaign for a full review of what the post is all about when we’re in government. What is the job description? How does it differ from party chair? What are the two different roles here that we’re seeking to achieve?
“So, I’m slightly bewildered as to why there wasn’t a pause, negotiations with both the parliamentary party and the trade unions over a review, and then coming back in the future with a thought-through policy of what is this job for?”
The ex-Home Secretary also warned that Labour is too divided for such a contest at the current time.
He added: “I’ve been a member of the Labour Party for over 60 years, it always loves internalising, it always loves the internal campaign against each other. And we’ve really got to get off it.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, former Commons leader Lucy Powell, ex-trade envoy Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Foreign Affairs Chairwoman Dame Emily Thornberry, Liverpool Wavertree MP Paula Barker and Local Government Minister Alison McGovern have all entered the race.
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Who will grill the Prime Minister? No time for questions from Reform MPs at PMQs
A list of MPs who will grill Sir Keir Starmer at midday
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READ IN FULL: Keir Starmer responds to Russia attack on Ukraine
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “This morning's barbaric attack on Ukraine and the egregious and unprecedented violation of Polish and Nato airspace by Russian drones is deeply concerning.
“This was an extremely reckless move by Russia and only serves to remind us of President Putin’s blatant disregard for peace, and the constant bombardment innocent Ukrainians face every day.
"I have been in touch with the Polish Prime Minister this morning to make clear our support for Poland, and that we will stand firm in our support for Ukraine.
“My sincere thanks go to the Nato and Polish forces who rapidly responded to protect the Alliance.
"With our partners – and through our leadership of the Coalition of the Willing – we will continue to ramp up the pressure on Putin until there is a just and lasting peace."
PM stuck between union and business bosses in workers' rights row
Sir Keir Starmer held his first Cabinet meeting since a reshuffle last week prompted by Angela Rayner's resignation | PASir Keir Starmer has been told by business bosses to abandon plans to push through Angela Rayner’s workers' rights overhaul.
Archie Norman, the chairman of Marks & Spencer, said the Prime Minister had “a golden opportunity” to halt the legislation.
The row comes after Angela Rayner, the architect of the union-backed plans, resigned as Housing Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister.
Furious Lib Dems demand probe into BBC 'giving Nigel Farage and Reform UK too much coverage'
The Liberal Democrats have written a furious letter to Ofcom demanding it investigates the BBC's "disproportionate" coverage of Nigel Farage and Reform UK.
Max Wilkinson MP, the party's Culture and Media spokesman, wrote to the regulator's chief executive Melanie Dawes, with the party sharing the letter across is social media platforms.
Mr Wilkinson fumed: "By paying such disproportionate attention to Nigel Farage's latest outfit, Reform UK, the BBC is compromising its reputation.
"To many licence fee payers, the broadcaster gives the impression that hangs on every word uttered by Nigel Farage, despite his party's scant representation in Parliament.
Peter Mandelson admits Jeffrey Epstein 'birthday note' is 'very embarrassing'
Lord Peter Mandelson has admitted that the "birthday note" he sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is "very embarrassing".
Speaking to The Sun, the UK Ambassador to the US also said that the letter was sent before Epstein was indicted.
He said: “I find them very embarrassing to see and to read, but they were written before he was indicted.
“I just feel two things now – one, I feel a tremendous sense, a profound sense of sympathy for those people, those women, who suffered as a result of his behaviour and his illegal criminal activities.
“Secondly, I regret very, very deeply indeed carrying on that association with him for far longer than I should have done.”
Tory MP brutally shuts down anti-Brexit heckler over migrant crisis live on GB News
Tory MP Richard Holden has brutally shut down an anti-Brexit heckler during a GB News grilling about the migrant crisis.
The Basildon & Billericay MP was almost constantly heckled as he appeared on the People's Channel this morning.
After one pro-EU protester claimed that the migrant crisis was not a problem before the UK left the bloc, Mr Holden said: "There's somebody shouting at me from behind and saying there weren't any illegal migration to the UK before Brexit.
"What we saw, actually, was people dying in the backs of lorries before then."
READ MORE: Reform UK 'living rent free in Keir Starmer's head' as GB News investigation exposes rapid surge in PMQs attacks on Nigel Farage
Labour MPs have mentioned Nigel Farage and Reform UK at least 30 times at Prime Minister’s Questions this year, a GB News analysis of Hansard’s records has revealed.
The attacks, often posed as thinly veiled as open goals for Sir Keir to hammer home, have primarily centred around workers’ rights, the NHS and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The People’s Channel revealed earlier this year that the three themes have become a cornerstone of No10’s efforts to thwart the rise of Reform UK.
However, Labour MPs have also focused on Liz Truss, Reform-run local authorities and Mr Farage’s absence from Prime Minister’s Questions.
RECAP: Bridget Phillipson ahead in race for Labour's deputy leadership
MP backers:
Bridget Phillipson - 44
Lucy Powell - 35
Bell Ribeiro-Addy - 8
Dame Emily Thornberry - 7
Paula Barker - 3
Alison McGovern - 2