Could Jamie Carragher be Labour’s new big-name backer?

Those of you who followed the Labour leadership race closely will remember that Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher backed Andy Burnham, gave him £10,000 (which was a huge sum for Burnham’s shoestring campaign) and recorded this video for him.

Now that Carragher is planning to retire, it seems that the party hopes to secure Carragher’s support as a big-name backer. Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is of course already a prominent Labour backer – and there were many faces from the football world at the party’s big sports dinner last year. A senior party senior is quoted in the Sunday Mirror saying:

“Jamie is a big Labour backer. Ed Miliband and the party are very keen to get him involved as someone who will endorse Labour in the run-up to the next ­general election. He is and will ­continue to be a great role model for ­youngsters and has always led by ­example. Jamie understands the problems facing a whole generation of kids struggling to find work and make their way in the world.”

Once a Red, always a Red…