LABOUR leadership hopeful Andy Burnham described himself as a “northern powerhouse” who can take on the Tories — and said he would welcome rival candidate Jeremy Corbyn into his shadow cabinet.

The Leigh MP was speaking to Labour supporters at the Memory Lane wedding venue in Deane as thousands of party members across the country prepare to send off their voting ballots.

Mr Burnham said he would welcome veteran left-winger Mr Corbyn — the frontrunner in the contest — into his shadow cabinet but added that a party led by the Islington MP “will get slaughtered on day one.”

The Leigh MP, who at one point led the polls, said he was the only person who can now beat Mr Corbyn to the top job and the only person who can lead Labour to victory in 2020.

He said: “A shadow cabinet can be broad and can involve a mix of views to bring that challenge to the top table in parliament.

"I don’t know what Jeremy’s plans are but I wouldn’t be against having him in my shadow cabinet.

“But I can unite the party in a way that Jeremy can’t. I’ve always been true to the heart of the party and because of that I think I am in a better place.

"I’ve also been clear that at the heart of all my proposals I have set out how they are going to be paid for, we can’t play fast and loose with our economic credibility.”

Mr Burnham answered questions from members on a range of issues from his policy on Palestine to his vision for the NHS — but the ensuing battle with Mr Corbyn was the topic most regularly raised.

He told guests: “Jeremy has connected with people in a way Labour hasn’t in a long time and I wouldn’t want to push that away.

“But he has promised a lot and I’m not sure he can pay for it all — I have made sure that everything I have put down I can deliver.”

Mr Burnham has spoken before of the mistakes Labour made prior to May’s General Election and why the party lost seats like Bolton West to the Conservatives.

He said: “The party wasn’t listening to people and addressing their legitimate concerns about immigration — we need practical answers to those concerns.

"The basic principle should be that free to work isn’t the same as free to claim and I think we need rules that are fair in the eyes of the British public.”

Telling members he is the man for the job, the Liverpudlian said he will relish standing up to the Tories and battling potential future Prime Minister George Osborne.

He added: “I will show him what a real Northern Powerhouse looks like.”