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Andy Burnham calls for mediation process to stop Labour infighting

Andy Burnham is calling for "a new settlement" to stop infighting in the Labour Party, including an agreement to end threats to deselect MPs.

As Labour prepares to announce the winner of a bitter leadership contest, the shadow home secretary suggests the party sets up a mediation process - including a time frame in which the next leader's progress is put under review.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, he urges MPs to "engage constructively" with whoever becomes leader and respect the vote from the membership.

Mr Burnham said that, if Mr Corbyn beats Owen Smith as predicted, MPs "need to give Jeremy time to get his message over to the country without constant interruptions and infighting".

He said those offered frontbench jobs should "serve in the right spirit, serve constructively - be in opposition".

But he added that in return, "all talk of deselection of both MPs and councillors should cease immediately".

He said: "There has to be a clear set of statements that will give people the stability they are looking for.

"No talk of deselections, a new culture of zero tolerance of abuse... because I know as an MP if people are talking about deselection, if that is in the air, it pulls the rug from under people."

Mr Burnham attacked Mr Corbyn's close friend Ken Livingstone for suggesting the members should be encouraged to get rid of dissenting MPs.

He accused Mr Livingstone of being "counterproductive" by helping to "carry on the feud".

At around midday, as the Labour Party conference gets underway in Liverpool, delegates will learn whether Mr Smith or Mr Corbyn will lead the party.

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Mr Burnham hopes that having remained neutral during the divisive contest, he can help bring the party back together.

"We can't have another year like the one we've just had," he said.

"I hope there will be a process of mediation that brings in all the party's constituent parts - the trade unions, the party membership and others and some simple agreements are made about at what point do we review or take stock of what progress is being made."

Mr Burnham said the next leader would have to show he is winning over the public, in the polls and in elections, and that success can't be measured "by the size of the party membership or the number of people at rallies".

Under Mr Corbyn's leadership, the party's membership has doubled.

Mr Burnham proposes that whoever becomes leader, their wider electability and relationship with MPs should be reviewed after a certain period of time.

He said: "It's not for me to lay down that time frame but from within the party's constituent parts probably brokered by the NEC there should be an agreed period of time in which we will say 'right, let's take stock of what progress is being made here'."

As for the abusive nature of the recent contest, Mr Burnham admitted it had made him "depressed at times".

He added: "Here's a novel thought - how about we use Twitter to attack the Tories."

:: The Labour leadership announcement is expected at 11.45am. Full coverage on Sky News