Rival claims Jeremy Corbyn win would split UK Labour party

The British Labour Party's leadership race is polarising the party and could lead to a split if Jeremy Corbyn wins, rival Yvette Cooper has warned.

The shadow home secretary said the left-winger, who has voted against Labour more than 500 times, has “not shown any ability” to be part of a team.

As the contest becomes increasingly bitter, figures on the right of the party are reportedly preparing to oppose Mr Corbyn, if he succeeds Ed Miliband, through a group dubbed "the resistance".

Mr Corbyn’s supporters, meanwhile, said the British political class was “frozen with fear” at the prospect of him winning and claimed a smear campaign was under way.

Ms Cooper told BBC Radio 4's World at One that she would "always be part of the Labour Party" and would not "take my bat and ball home" if the Islington North MP wins.

Genuinely worried

Asked if she was genuinely worried that the party would split if Mr Corbyn wins, she replied: “I am, because I’m worried what’s happening at the moment, that the party does seem to be polarising between the different extremes. Divided parties don’t win, but it’s actually much more than that. I just don’t think the extremes of the party are the right place to be, and are true to our values and are true to the things we need to do to change the country for the future.”

Mr Corbyn was on Tuesday forced to admit associating with Lebanese extremist Dyab Abou Jahjah after a photograph emerged of them together, but insisted he had no recollection of their meetings.

London mayoral hopeful Diane Abbott, one of Mr Corbyn's supporters, said accusations about his associations with extremists had surfaced because opponents are terrified he will take the top job.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today: "The very notion of it terrifies people because the energy behind him has the power to disrupt and to change and transform politics. This is where these anti-Semitic smears come from." – (PA)