LEIGH MP Andy Burnham has received the backing of former deputy prime minister John Prescott in his bid to become the new leader of the Labour Party.

Lord Prescott compared Mr Burnham to Tony Blair, who won three general elections for Labour, claiming the former health secretary showed many of the "skills and qualities" demonstrated by the ex-prime minister.

The high-profile endorsement of Mr Burnham will come as a further boost to the bookmakers' favourite for the leadership.

In his Sunday Mirror column Lord Prescott said: "Before Tony became our leader, 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."

Lord Prescott added: "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.

"Blair wasn't the complete leader when he was elected. It took time and he made mistakes. But he had the potential, the ideas, the experience and the determination to succeed.

"Tony was a winner. We now need someone who can earn the trust of the public and has an insatiable desire to help everyone get on in life."

However Mr Burnham's leadership bid was condemned by health whistleblower Julie Bailey, who worked to expose the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal.

She told the Mail on Sunday: "While health secretary, Andy Burnham presided over a culture of denial and cover-up over NHS care scandals that cost lives in failing hospitals across the country.

"We believe him to be a grossly unsuitable candidate. It would be a disaster for patients if he was ever to become health secretary again, let alone assume any higher public office."

The leadership contender's spokesman said: "Mr Burnham ordered the first and second inquiries into the terrible care failings at Mid Staffordshire, against civil service advice at the time. It is concerning that the Tories are not implementing the recommendations of those reports."

Burnham, who has been the MP for Leigh since 2001, is facing competition from shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, shadow health secretary Liz Kendall and shadow international development secretary Mary Creagh.

The result of the election will be announced on Saturday, September 12.