Margaret Beckett: I’m a ‘moron’ for nominating Jeremy Corbyn

Last night Tony Blair’s former adviser John McTernan said MPs who offered their nominations to Jeremy Corbyn to ‘broaden the debate’ in the Labour leadership race were ‘morons’ after a poll predicted Corbyn will win.

While the bulk of the MPs who helped Corbyn get onto the ballot have remained quiet since his comments, Margaret Beckett chose to come clean on Radio 4’s World at One. When asked if she was a ‘moron’ for nominating Corbyn, the former Foreign Secretary replied: ‘I am one of them’.

Beckett — who is supporting Andy Burnham in the race — says she only nominated him as MPs were advised to widen the debate:

‘At no point did I intend to vote for Jeremy myself – nice as he is – nor advise anyone else to do it. We were being urged as MPs to have a field of candidates.’

Well, there goes her job in Corbyn’s shadow cabinet.