Labour leadership candidates have insisted they would not include Jeremy Corbyn in their shadow cabinets despite the veteran MP and republican sympathiser's increasing support among party members.
A leaked internal Labour Party poll suggested Mr Corbyn was 15 per cent ahead in the race to succeed Ed Miliband, who stepped down after a disastrous general election result in May.
Shadow minister Liz Kendall said the opposition's top team would need to be "serious and credible", adding it would need to take on "very difficult issues" while also inspiring Labour supporters.
Aides to frontrunner Andy Burnham said he could not "envisage any circumstances" where Mr Corbyn would be on his frontbench, insisting the shadow health secretary was joking when he told a BBC debate he "might be open to listening".
In contrast, Mr Corbyn said Ms Kendall "would be there" in his shadow cabinet, telling BBC1's Sunday Politics: "I'm sure Liz and I could find some common ground on some issues somewhere. We may not have the same economic direction."
Fellow candidate Yvette Cooper said she did not want to "prejudge" the issue.
Mr Corbyn, who reportedly observed a minute's silence in 1987 for the eight IRA members killed by the SAS in Loughgall, Co Armagh, is a long time supporter of a united Ireland.
During the Troubles, Mr Corbyn regularly addressed meetings of the Troops Out movement, urging the withdrawal of British forces from the north, and caused controversy by inviting Gerry Adams to Westminster in 1984, just weeks after the Brighton bomb.
The 66-year-old, who has been an MP since 1983, is due to visit Belfast next month to take part in a panel debate at Féile an Phobail.
Former Ulster Unionist leader Tom Elliott told the Irish News that he believed unionists would have no option but to work with Mr Corbyn if elected leader.
Mr Corbyn has defied his initial rank outsider status to replace Ed Miliband by securing the most nominations so far from constituency parties and reportedly topping some private opinion polls.
