Former Labour adviser Paul Sinclair says UK leadership contest is 'utter farce'

A former Labour adviser told BBC Radio Scotland that the party's UK leadership contest was a "complete and utter farce".

Paul Sinclair was responding to news that the deadline to register to vote in the election had been extended due to "technical issues" with the party's website.

Speaking to the John Beattie Show, the former Gordon Brown spin doctor said: "This is a complete and utter farce. I think if the Labour Party cannot run its own leadership election, how the hell can it claim that it can run the country?

"Ed Miliband's leadership was pretty disastrous, this is an even more disastrous legacy - the idea that you can sign up for £3 and vote for the leadership."

Thousands of new members are thought to be signing up to back left-wing candidate Jeremy Corbyn, sparking a row within the party.

Labour has also reassured candidates amid fears the process is being sabotaged by members of other parties.

MPs Yvette Cooper, Andy Burnham, Liz Kendall and Mr Corbyn are vying for votes. They will learn the outcome at a special conference on 12 September.

The party is also seeking a new leader for Scottish Labour. That election is being contested by MSPs Kezia Dugdale and Ken Macintosh.