Splitting the Labour party would hand the Conservatives the “unfettered power” enjoyed by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, Dame Margaret Beckett has warned.

The former acting leader said Labour MPs need to think "very carefully" about the impact of a protest split if Jeremy Corbyn wins the leadership election next month.

Dame Margaret, who has a seat on the Party's National Executive Committee, suggested that "vast numbers" do not care about the party and some would be happy to see it split.