Tony Blair warns Labour against path of "traditional leftism"
Labour will need to move away from its "traditional Leftism" if it is to regain its vote share and have a shot at success in 2020, according to former Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Speaking after a surprise poll put Jeremy Corbyn 17 points ahead in the leadership race, Blair warned that Labour entrenching itself further Left would be a backwards step and damage the party's progress in the long term.
"Don't for heaven's sake move back. If we do, then the public won't vote for us – not because our thoughts are too pure, but because our thoughts are out of touch with the world they live in," he argued.
"We misunderstand the difference between radical leftism, which is often reactionary and radical social democracy," he added.
Blair also criticised Miliband's campaign, arguing that polarising "head vs heart" politics only served to undermine Labour's economic reliability and push voters towards the Tories' "politics fo fear".
Labour will announce its new leader at a special conference on 12 September.