The three candidates hoping to become the next leader of the Labour party have faced questions about how they intend to restore the party’s prospects in places like Kent at a final hustings today.

Several hundred activists from around the county and south east were in Brighton to quiz the three vying to replace Jeremy Corbyn, who is standing down after what many regard as a dismal performance at the General Election.

The three candidates - Lisa Nandy, Keir Starmer and Rebecca Long-Bailey - fielded a range of questions on issues such as disability rights, immigration and Brexit, as well as how they planned to rebuild the party after its catastrophic defeat in December.

All three put in strong performances and there was no clear winner or cut through moment during a 90-minute question and answer session.

Keir Starmer warned that factional in-fighting could cost the party success at the polls and presented himself as the person who could bring the party together, saying it faced a lengthy period out of power if it failed to unite.

“We have lost four elections in a row; if we lose another, our party will have been out of power for the longest period since the Second World War.

"I came into politics to change the lives of millions of people; you do not do that in opposition.

"Most of the things that we have answered questions about will be very difficult to do in opposition.

"We have a choice; we can mope about, we can take lumps out of each other; be factional but we will lose.”

Rebecca Long-Bailey said the party could not afford to retreat and had to take the fight to the Conservatives.

“I know where we got things wrong but more importantly, I have the solutions.

"We forge our path to power not by reining in our ambitions but by realising them.”

The party had to offer hope to people, not despair, she said. “The solution to our ills and to put Labour into power is not to retreat...we have to offer hope that they can make their lives better.”

Lisa Nandy said she could defy the odds that have suggested that she is behind her two rivals.

“There is still everything to play for; half our members are undecided, which is quite unprecedented for an election like this at this stage of the contest.

"I have seen four leadership elections since being in Parliament and this one feels very different.

"Our members know we can win in four years time so they are thinking very hard about getting this decision right.

"I think I won a few people over today and I am just going to continue to make my case.”

The party won a solitary seat - Canterbury - in Kent and its poor performance elsewhere in the county was compounded by its failure to cut into any of its targets while the Conservatives stretched their lead in many of the constituencies already seen as safe.

The leadership contest continues up until the beginning of April.

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