Rival attacks Jeremy Corbyn as leadership voting closes

Liz Kendall has launched a fresh attack on Jeremy Corbyn as voting closed in the Labour leadership election but said the party must accept the result if he wins.

The shadow health minister said the new leader will have won the right to pursue their agenda but made clear that she is likely to become a frequent rebel if the Islington North MP takes the top job.

In her final speech of the three-month contest just 50 minutes before voting closed, Ms Kendall appeared close to tears as she warned that Ed Miliband’s successor faces huge challenges to bring the party together after the “tumultuous and divisive” contest.