The $30 million intervention

Tony Blair's 5,600-word essay has ignited a fierce debate within the Labour Party, with MPs mulling a leadership contest.

The ex-prime minister's intervention has been met with criticism from potential leadership candidates, including Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting.

Blair's essay accused the party of retreating into a Left-wing 'comfort zone' with no 'coherent plan' for transforming Britain.

Blair's beef with Burnham

Blair's allies claim that Burnham's claim that '40 years of neoliberalism' had put Britain on the 'wrong path' had 'put fire in Tony's belly.'

Burnham has hit back at Blair's comments, saying that he doesn't understand the economic factors driving support for parties like Reform UK and the Greens.

'He doesn't mention inequality once,' Burnham said. 'If you don't get how that's driving politics now, if you are not rooting your analysis in the fact that people are unable to live and that things that were taken for granted are no longer affordable, then you are not understanding what's going on.'

Streeting's swipe at Blair

Wes Streeting has taken a swipe at Blair over his 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Streeting, the former health secretary, argued that Blair's suggestion that Keir Starmer should have initially allowed Donald Trump to use British military bases for US strikes on Iran was 'striking weakness'.

Streeting also hit out at Blair's lack of mention of inequality in his essay.

The battle for Labour's future

The Labour Party's bitter leadership battle is set to grow even more rancorous amid claims that Blair will ramp up his interventions this summer.

Allies of the ex-PM said that Burnham's claim had 'put fire in Tony's belly.'

The party's future direction remains uncertain, with potential leadership candidates vying for support.

Blair's intervention has sparked a fierce debate within the party, with some MPs calling for a leadership contest.

What's next for Labour?

The party's future direction remains uncertain , with potential leadership candidates vying for support.

Blair's intervention has sparked a fierce debate within the party, with some MPs calling for a leadership contest.

The party's leadership battle is set to grow even more rancorous amid claims that Blair will ramp up his interventions this summer.