Labour leadership contenders sparred over anti-Semitism in the first hustings in the race to replace Jeremy Corbyn.
All five candidates issued pleas for unity at the start of the event after last month's humiliation at the polls.
But backbencher Jess Phillips then took a swipe at some of her fellow contenders for allegedly keeping quiet over antisemitism in the party, prompting a vigorous response from rival Emily Thornberry.
Phillips said: "The Labour Party needs a leader who has spoken out against antisemitism and other forms of harassment in fact.
READ MORE: Labour leadership candidates call for party unity
"When others were keeping quiet and [as] somebody who was in the room, struggling for an independent system – lots and lots of meetings – I have to say I don't remember some of the people here being in that particular room or being in those particular fights."
Phillips added: "Jewish people were scared of Labour winning the election.
"We have lost the moral high ground to fight racism in this country because of the way we have handled antisemitism."
But Shadow foreign secretary Thornberry insisted she had fought against racism.
She told the Liverpool event: "I tell you what Jess [Phillips], I have always been clear about it and I always will because it's unacceptable, it undermines us as a party and undermines our soul.
"What we should be doing is kicking out these antisemites in the same way Oswald Mosley was kicked out of Liverpool in 1937."
Thornberry suggested all the candidates were seeking "the worst job in the world".
She said: "Being leader of the Labour Party in opposition is, quite frankly, the worst job in the world.
"That's what we are applying for.
"In the end we have to wade through an awful lot of shit."
Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey told the audience that divided parties do not win elections.
Shadow Brexit secretary and early front-runner in the campaign, Sir Keir Starmer, said there had been "too much division" in the party, adding: "We are unstoppable when we are united."
Lisa Nandy said the Conservatives were not really interested in the former Labour seats they had won in Northern England and Wales in the General Election.
She said: "The Tories are talking about investing in the so-called 'red wall' seats.
"But, what they don't understand is that this [vote] was a clamour for power, agency, and control, and they will never give it to people.
"Labour must."
Some 500 Labour members were at the event and most of those approached afterwards said there was no "knock-out" blow by any of the candidates.
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