Leadership contenders aim to woo unions

In the first hustings of the campaign, five of the six MPs bidding to take over from Gordon Brown spelt out why they believed Labour lost the election, with a common theme emerging that the party had lost touch with its supporters.

David Miliband, his brother Ed, John McDonnell, Andy Burnham and Diane Abbott answered questions for two hours at the GMB's annual conference in Southport yesterday, recognising the important role union members will play in the election.

The first delegate to ask a question quizzed the candidates on whether they would allow Lord Mandelson into the shadow cabinet.

Ed Miliband replied: "I think all of us believe in dignity in retirement."

He said Lord Mandelson had fought "like a tiger" to get Labour re-elected, but pointedly added that people in the shadow cabinet "should be elected".

Mr Burnham said the party needed to be "refreshed", with a new generation of leaders.

Mr Burnham, Hayes and Harlington MP later drew loud applause when he talked about being on the receiving end of policies of Margaret Thatcher's government when he worked for the Greater London Council and then the National Union of Mineworkers, quipping that he would have liked to "assassinate" the former Tory prime minister.

Ed Miliband pledged to work with unions to try to win back power and fight public sector cuts and said Labour had to prove it could make a difference.

The candidates were questioned about why Labour did not give more employment rights to agency workers and even watered down European directives.

Ed Miliband admitted Labour was "too slow" to act on agency workers and Mr McDonnell argued that Labour had listened too much to the CBI rather than the unions.

David Miliband agreed there needed to be a different culture in the Labour Party, but he argued that the previous government had made major achievements which should not be forgotten, saying that of 24 leading countries, only Mexico had a better record than the UK of reducing poverty.

Ms Abbott attacked the "phoney populism" of blaming immigrants for driving down the pay and conditions of workers in this country.

She said she wanted to rebuild Labour so that it "reconnected" with its supporters.

There was clear division between the candidates on some issues, including nuclear power and nuclear weapons system.

The sixth candidate, Morley and Outwood MP Ed Balls, was in London dealing with parliamentary business. He will address the GMB today.

The candidates have until Wednesday to gain the support of 32 fellow MPs by Wednesday to go forward to the electoral college.