Sadiq Khan warns of split after Corbyn's re-election

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has warned of a Labour Party split following Jeremy Corbyn's landslide win in the leadership election.

Speaking as Labour's annual conference opened in Liverpool, Mr Khan told The Sunday Times: "We know from history - the Gang of Four in the 1980s - that when the Labour Party splits we are out of power for a generation.

"Now it is more serious than that.

"If the Labour Party splits, it could be the end of the Labour Party."

As Mr Corbyn sought to reach out to disaffected backbenchers following his re-election, efforts to see senior moderates return to his shadow cabinet seemed to be running into the sand.

A meeting of the party's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) on Saturday night failed to make progress on proposals - backed by MPs and deputy leader Tom Watson - for elections to the shadow cabinet.

But Mr Watson, who had opposed Mr Corbyn's re-election, told Sky News as he came out of the NEC meeting that he thought it had been "very positive".

He said: "We agreed to put the rule changes on Scotland and Wales to the conference, so we can get a resolution on that, and thankfully Jeremy has started talking to colleagues to try and get an outcome for how we fill our front bench so very positive, a short meeting and everyone was left happy."

After his victory, Mr Corbyn appealed to MPs to "come on board" in campaigning against the Government.

He told Sky News he was "helping people" who had criticised him, including the overwhelming majority of his own MPs, to come back into the fold.

:: As it happened: Labour leadership battle - the result

He also argued his huge mandate "should be recognised" by his backbenchers as he continues to oppose their plan for a shadow cabinet elected solely by MPs.

He said: "I made a speech where I've quite clearly reached out to everybody.

"We've got a job to do starting with a campaign against the Conservative Party bringing back the 11-plus and grammar schools.

"I want to reach out to the Parliamentary Labour Party - come on board, let's get going."

Mr Corbyn won 61.8% of the vote in the leadership election to be beat sole challenger Owen Smith.

Mr Smith congratulated Mr Corbyn on his win, but said the result showed the party "remains divided".