Most Labour MPs are looking forward to their new quasi-Marxist overlord being installed when they return from their holidays. Apart that is from those involved in the campaign teams for Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper. They still publicly cling on to the the hope that the bookies and pollsters are wrong. Again.

More likely their battle is for second place. The arguments for Yvette are that she will get most of Kendall’s second preferences and that Burnham has lost left-wing support to Corbyn so may come third on first preferences. Meaning she will pick-up all the anti-Corbyn votes when Burnham is eliminated. Assuming there are actually enough…

“No chance” say Burnham insiders. Most of Liz’s big supporters have declared for Andy – there are rumours that the likes of John Woodcock* – despite having branded Andy “Continuity Miliband” – have been promised Shadow Cabinet jobs for support. One Burnham supporter told Guido

Yvette’s consistently third in Jeremy’s, Andy’s and Liz’s voter ID. That’s why she looks so desperate. Yvette will finish third but her votes will end up selecting the winner. Just like her husband did in 2010. Yvette, by bitching and bullying the other candidates, has nowhere to go. Soft Corbyn supporters won’t go to her because she slagged him off and she’ll get little from Andy’s supporters. Liz votes is all she can get and she won’t get enough to overtake Andy. Our strategy all along was to be respectful of the members choice. OK he’s flipped a bit but he’s mostly stuck to it. He’s still worth a flutter at 4-1…

Not sure Guido would recommend that bet…

UPDATE: Kendall supporter hits back “the reason Liz backers are second preferencing Andy is nothing to do with promise of Shadow Cabinet jobs. It’s because of all the smears from Roger Baker and Luke Holland on Yvette’s campaign. Childlessness, adultery etc. they’d rather vote for flip floppy Andy who is a nice guy than nasty Brownite machine Yvette.”

*Denied.

.@GuidoFawkes As IF. Please change. I am putting Andy 2nd cos my CLP chose him and if not Liz, he has better chance of finishing ahead of JC

— Lord Walney (@LordWalney) August 20, 2015