Former foreign secretary David Miliband weighed into the party's leadership race yesterday with an article in The Guardian newspaper.
The failed 2010 leadership candidate urged Labour supporters to vote for Liz Kendall, the Blairite candidate, praising her "clarity and courage".
Mr Miliband also noted that he would be putting Yvette Cooper as his second preference.
The Cooper campaign has, it is fair to say, taken a glass-half-full view of the Labour grandee's statement.
@YvetteForLabour A ringing endorsement
— Jamie (@JamieONeill1985) August 17, 2015
Organisers promptly made a banner featuring David Miliband's image, thanking him, rather confusingly, for his second preference vote.
Clearly pleased with it, the campaign's social media team tweeted it out several times.
@YvetteForLabour This is a spoof, right?
— Paul Williams (@Pwill666) August 18, 2015
Not all Ms Cooper's social media followers were impressed. A number asked whether the banner was a spoof, while one quipped that its message amounted to a "ringing endorsement".
It isn't the first time one of Ms Cooper's banners have caused a stir: earlier this month her campaign was ridiculed for writing the word "rubbish" in large letters next to a picture of the candidate's face.
As a designer I would never recommend putting the word "Rubbish" very large right next to your candidates face... pic.twitter.com/X6pKthqJfV
— Jon W. Chambers (@jonwillchambers) August 13, 2015
The digital banner comes as the Cooper and Burnham camps wage a media war over who should be the first preference "Stop Jeremy Corbyn" candidate.
Labour leadership: The Contenders
The 'Anyone But Corbyn' message has been further complicated by Mr Miliband's endorsement of Ms Kendall, who polls and endorsements suggest is likely to come a distant last in the contest.
Voting has begun in the contest, with results due at a special party conference in September.
