Yvette Cooper has been backed by the New Statesman to lead Labour into the 2020 general election - even if she has to rely on Jeremy Corbyn proving a disaster in the job.
The left-leaning publication said Mr Corbyn's "excellent and disciplined campaign" had engaged the public and looked almost certain to propel him to victory on September 12.
But it roundly criticised several of his key policies and suggested he would struggle to prevent "civil war" in the parliamentary ranks, concluding that the party needed a "mainstream" figurehead.
Of the three other candidates, Ms Cooper had the best chance of winning the 2020 general election, it concluded, but might have to accept defeat first.
"History teaches that even the strongest governments can unravel with remarkable speed, which is why Labour must be in a position to offer a credible alternative," it said.
"The best hope of it being able to do so, in the present circumstances, is the election of Yvette Cooper.
"We say this knowing that Mr Corbyn is the clear front-runner and the likely next leader.
"Yet there are important elections next year in London, Wales and Scotland.
"If Mr Corbyn's Labour Party performs poorly in each of these and its present dire position in the polls remains unchanged - and if civil war has broken out in the parliamentary party - his leadership will be in grave danger.
"Ms Cooper's moment may yet come."
In an editorial it accused Andy Burnham of appearing to argue "for whatever seems politically profitable on any given day" and said Liz Kendall was too Blairite and "lacks the stature and experience necessary to command authority".
Mr Corbyn's desire to withdraw from Nato would leave Britain vulnerable, his economic policy "would risk rampant inflation" and energy nationalisation plans were based on "heroically optimistic" projections, it said.
With Labour "in danger once again of becoming the natural party of opposition" or even becoming "irrelevant", he was not the leader to turn things around, it said, suggesting that he "neither wanted nor expected" to be leader.
And while Ms Cooper had - until recent days run a "cautious" campaign - "her experience of government, intellect and credibility mark her out.
"She has made a passionate and persuasive case for policies such as universal childcare and has forcefully resisted the Conservatives' fiscal dogmatism.
"Labour, which purports to be the party of progress and opportunity for all, has never had a better chance to elect its first woman leader."
The magazine said the decision to open the contest to registered supporters had been an "extraordinary act of self-harm" by the party, inviting exploitation by opponents.
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