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Former Deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott has said he is backing Andy Burnham to be the next leader of the Labour Party.

Writing in the Sunday Mirror Lord Prescott said Mr Burnham had "one thing all leaders crave - the common touch".

He also criticised former leader Ed Miliband for resigning "prematurely" and "before the successor could be elected".

He likened Mr Burnham to that of former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair.

'Living example'

Referring to Mr Blair, Lord Prescott writes: "He spent 11 years as an MP. In that time he learned his brief, gained the ­experience, handled the media and won the public's trust with an overwhelming landslide.

"I have seen a lot of those skills and ­qualities in Andy Burnham during his 13 years as an MP.

"Many people talk about aspiration but Andy is a living example - a working-class lad from Liverpool who went to a ­comprehensive and got a place at Cambridge University.

"Andy also has that one thing all leaders crave - the common touch.

"I've seen him in small groups and big meetings. People instantly warm to the guy. He's a family man who loves his football."

Ed Miliband resigned as Labour leader after the Conservatives were elected as a majority government with 331 seats in the general election.

Harriet Harman has been leading Labour temporarily until a new leader is appointed but has ruled herself out of the contest.

The other contenders for the Labour leadership include Mary Creagh, Liz Kendall and Yvette Cooper.

In his column Lord Prescott added: "Not New Labour or Old Labour.

"We need someone to lead Now Labour. That's why I'm backing Andy to be our leader. To unify our party, to lead our country and put our traditional values in a modern setting."