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Hundreds of Labour supporters braved a grey and drizzly evening to hear Andy Burnham speak in London tonight.

There are just three weeks to go until the results of the leadership contest are announced - and the one-time favourite to win is playing catch up to left-wing firebrand Jeremy Corbyn.

But tonight Burnham was supported by an all star cast of backers - including former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and former Director of Public Prosecutions Kier Starmer.

Even #Milifandom founder Abby Tomlinson - perhaps Burnham's most prized endorsement - put in an appearance.

Here's what we learned from Andy Burnham's London rally.

1. He's got pulling power

(Image: Mikey Smith)

To use a Burnham friendly football metaphor, it was standing room only in St Pancras Parish Church tonight.

Between the pews on the floor and the sizeable balcony, there were easily enough in attendance to fill the 500 seats.

Not Corbyn numbers, but an impressive turnout for a political event on a drizzly August evening.

2. John Prescott is an excellent warm-up man

(Image: Mikey Smith)

The fired-up former deputy PM was on fine form this evening.

He handled the handful of hecklers ably. One, who shouted something along the lines of "what about Iraq" was dispatched with: "I'm coming to that, sunshine" - prompting him to describe the invasion as "wrong."

He took to task senior Labour figures who he sees as causing division within the party.

Starting with old comrade Tony Blair, he slammed the former Prime Minister's suggestion that if Labour members' hearts are drawn towards Jeremy Corbyn they need a "heart transplant" as "stupid and abusive".

And he had a pop at Chuka Umunna and Tristram Hunt, too - describing them as the "gang of two" for their plan to start a "party within a party".

Of Hunt, he said: "He's a fine academic, I'm sure. I wish he'd stayed at university."

3. Andy Burnham is an entertainer

(Image: Mikey Smith)

We're starting to think Burnham might be setting himself up with a career in stand up comedy, should his Labour leadership dreams fail to become reality.

Here's a selection of the jokes he came out with tonight.

"One Direction are splitting up next year - I'm not going to let the same happen to Labour."

"It's been such a long campaign, I can barely remember when I was frontrunner."

"George Osborne's dad wants to frack the desolate North. I think he wants to something else beginning with 'f' to the North"

4. He wants to 'run the Tories ragged'

(Image: Mikey Smith)

Burnham's most repeated phrase through tonight's event was a pledge to 'run the Tories ragged.' He said it at least four times.

He promised the Labour party under his leadership would be the "toughest opposition this country has seen."

"And it will be opposition with a purpose," he added. "It will be opposition not just to take on the Tories, but to kick them out."

5. He says the last Labour government were "out of touch"

(Image: Mikey Smith)

Burnham gave quite a moving speech at the end of the Q&A session in response to a question on a subject close to his heart- the Hillsborough disaster.

He said: "I did go to Anfield in 2009 as culture secretary, to the city of my birth. The place where my family comes from.

"And I did go, I have to say, representing that day an out of touch government...worse, I went representing an out of touch Labour party.

"We were a party that hadn't been listening to our own people - our own grass roots. We were so close to certain vested interests in the media that we couldn't hear a whole city - a Labour city - crying injustice for all of those years."

He went on to say that his roots were in a community which knows how to "stand together and fight together."

"I went back to Westminster," he added. "and I took on that establishment over Hillsborough."

6. And he wants to give the party its hope back

(Image: Mikey Smith)

Borrowing lines from the 2008 Obama campaign is a risky move - but Burnham decided it was worth a punt.

He told the crowd he wanted to "give Labour its hope back."

He said: "We need a Labour party that can think big again. A Labour party that can dare to dream. That can give people hope.

He added: "I don't just want policies that will be hopeless dreams, pie in the sky. I want policies that can win for Labour.

"This party needs some belief back. I've heard people say we can't win next time, so we may as well have take a gamble and have an experiment with the leadership. It doesn't matter because we can't win.

"We need that belief back in Labour hearts. We're no good to anybody if we're defeatist and downcast. We're no good if we're beating ourselves up, arguing.

"If we give up on winning we give up on the millions of people out there waiting for the Labour party they once knew to rise up again.

"I believe that a Labour government of any complexion is better for this country than a Tory government.

"If you feel the same as me, if you want a party with its pride back, with belief that it can win, then I ask for your support in this contest."

7. He says he's the candidate that can reunite the party - one family at a time

(Image: Mikey Smith)

Burnham renewed his calls for unity within the Labour party - and inadvertently caused harmony to break out between a father and son.

Burnham supporter Paul and his teenage son Julian were having a rather heated exchange of views as they waited for the speeches to kick off.

Paul, a Labour member "on and off" since 1988, was almost certain he would back Burnham in the election, while Julian found himself drawn to Jeremy Corbyn.

After the event, The Mirror caught up with them to see if either of their minds had been changed.

"I went to see Jeremy on Saturday," explained Julian. "And I wanted to come here because I was torn between the two. I feel like they're the lefty ones - obviously Jeremy moreso. I was leaning towards Jeremy."

Paul said: "I just think Burnham's the more electable candidate. The other two candidates are too associated with the Blairite way of doing things. Burnham seems like a fresher way forward - but still quite in the centre left."

Julian admitted he'd convinced by Burnham: "Tonight Andy distinguished himself as being away from the rest of them - the others all seem like the Westminster elite.

"I feel like he represents me a lot more."