Something has struck with me with force watching the Labour leadership debate.
No one wants to talk about the cuts.
Well, Ed Balls threw out some frankly rather silly remark about the new Chancellor enjoying having to cut things, but aside from that, no one wants to talk about the cuts.
Yet, obviously, the cuts are central. (more…)
Ed Miliband edges ahead
"Psychological edge"
“Ed Miliband yesterday secured a psychological edge over his rivals for the Labour leadership by clearing the first hurdle in the race to succeed Gordon Brown. On the day the contest officially began, the Shadow Energy Secretary secured nominations from 35 MPs – two more than the minimum required – after what appeared to be a concerted “get out the vote operation” by his campaign.” – The Times
“If the Miliband brothers secure more than half the parliamentary party between them, the other four candidates, Diane Abbott, John McDonnell, Andy Burnham and Ed Balls, will struggle to reach the 33 required. Balls advertised only four nominations and Andy Burnham only one, but both have more support. David Lammy, the MP for Tottenham, said today he would nominate Abbott. “Ever since I was first elected to parliament I have called for a more diverse and representative political class. It would go against all that not to help Diane Abbott get on to the ballot paper now. To have a leadership election without a single woman involved would send a terrible signal,” he said” – The Guardian
“Shadow energy secretary Ed Miliband has become the first contender for the Labour leadership to secure the 33 official nominations from fellow MPs needed to get his name on the ballot paper. Among Ed Miliband’s nominators are former Cabinet ministers Hilary Benn, John Denham, Peter Hain, Stephen Timms and Frank Dobson, as well as shadow
Benn adds to Ed Miliband nominations
leader of the Commons Rosie Winterton, shadow transport secretary Sadiq Khan – the first Muslim to attend Cabinet – and up-and-coming backbencher Chuka Umunna.” – Press Association
“FORMER LABOUR minister Ed Miliband caused a surprise last night by becoming the first challenger to win the support of the necessary number of MPs to enter the leadership race. Mr Miliband, who served as climate change secretary in the last Labour government, has 34 declared nominations – one more than needed under the rules. It is understood that a number of others have also declared their support.” – The Irish Times
“The Labour Party last night published the names of MPs who have backed their six colleagues who want to be considered for the leadership contest. The younger brother was the first to be formally nominated last night with 35 MPs already signed up, including a large contingent from Scotland: Glasgow East MP Margaret Curran; Aberdeen South’s Anne Begg; Lanark and Hamilton East MP Jimmy Hood; Dundee West MP Jim McGovern; and Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock MP Sandra Osborne.” – The Scotsman
The Contest
Labour's most likely Cameron?
“My guess is that Labour’s most likely Cameron might be Andy Burnham. I don’t say this because I favour him; I say it because he seems to me, objectively, to have the most potential to come from behind and upset the odds. Certainly the odds are not particularly in Burnham’s favour right now, so he has a big job to do to get enough nominations and to give his campaign lift-off. But if any of the candidates are going to turn this election on its head, as Cameron did in the Tory race five years ago, it could be Burnham.” – The Guardian
“I am what most Mirror readers expect Labour MPs to be. I am not Old Labour or New Labour or Next Labour. I am just Labour. I am standing for leader of the party because I want people to know that Labour is coming home. I want people to know that lessons have been learnt and never again will we let them down by trying to be a pale version of the Tories as some of the New Labour policies were.” – John McDonnell MP, The Mirror
Tom Harris
“LABOUR just lost an election. I would recommend that anyone standing, or thinking of standing, for the leadership of our party read that sentence, repeatedly if necessary. Because this must be the first leadership election I can remember in which not a single candidate has so far tried to address the reasons why the government (in which most of them served right up until the bitter end) has just been rejected by the electorate.
Yes, there have been the inevitable clichés and soundbites about the need to start listening on immigration. But is that it? That’s why we lost power after 13 years? I don’t think so, although our complacency in that area over a number of years certainly didn’t endear us to voters.” – Tom Harris MP
The first thrust of the Coalition – their gauntlet on the flagstone – has been to bestow the right of anonymity on those accused of rape. Had I been a skipping, Pollyanna type, with a cheery ‘let’s see what they come up with first before passing judgment’ approach to this government – then this would have been my scales/eyes moment.
My first instinct was to blink rapidly and rifle through both parties’ manifestos for the paragraph I must have missed; then to shake the shoulders of those who Went Over, wailing “Look what you’ve done! They have chosen as their flagship policy one which declares that women lie about rape – and so easily and habitually that men accused of it need structural protection!”
So clunkingly inept is this policy that it’s tempting to imagine it has been pulled, at random, from the big LibCon lucky dip barrel. But to do so would be to underestimate the Clegg-Cameron endeavour. This ain’t no accident – it’s a marker, a line in the sand.
The reasons that rape victims have historically been protected by anonymity are so crashingly obvious that I’m embarrassed to rehearse them here. If you’ve ever given more than a passing thought to gender politics, do feel free to skip this next bit. (more…)
Former Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband is the darling of the eco-kids.
So it was careless of him to send his letter to the Parliamentary Labour Party by hard copy only. Ed Balls and Andy Burnham sent theirs by email only.
It is a tiny thing, but telling.
The epistolary juices of the older Miliband and the two far-left candidates are yet to flow.
You can read Ed Miliband’s speech to the Fabians here.
There’s obviously something wrong with me. Yesterday was a gorgeous Saturday of post-election sunshine, but instead of relaxing in a park I was at the annual Progress conference at the TUC in London. In a basement. I can’t even say this was a one-off since I was at the Fabian conference last week (also in a basement) when Ed Miliband announced his leadership campaign.
Next time I’m think I’m going to take a leaf out of @hopisen ‘s book; he was quite smug about the fact that he’d decided to go to a park and follow the conference live via Twitter instead. (You too can re-live the Progress conference on Twitter, just look up #progress2010.)
Let’s be honest, conferences like this one are well-attended because the Labour Party is in ‘extended leadership contest’ mode (which I think was one of the NEC’s better decisions) and people are eager to be involved. (more…)
Sticks and stones
“In an attack on a contest dominated by middleaged white men, Britain’s first black woman MP said it was time the leader represented the way the party looked in 2010. She said: “The front-runners could have run in the 1950s. The candidates should represent the Labour party as it is in 2010.” The attack follows Ms Abbott’s description of David Cameron and Nick Clegg as “two posh white boys”.” – The Mirror
“LABOUR in-fighting was yesterday said to be turning the leadership race into a bloody battle. Supporters of Ed Miliband have been accused of smearing his brother David as a “robotic android”. MPs acting for him are said to have rung activists telling them his older brother lacks the “human touch”. One MP said: “They are saying David is too geeky.”” – Daily Express
The contest
“I am struck by the blandness of the Labour leadership debate so far. Almost all Labour commentators, from new Labour architect Anthony Giddens to the main leadership candidates David Miliband, Ed Miliband, Ed Balls and Andy Burnham have produced an almost identical analysis: “the voters thought we had lost touch… 10p tax… crime…not taking people for granted” etc etc. The only distinctive thing about any of them so far has been Andy Burnham’s intriguing 1980s website.” – The Telegraph
“Labour leadership candidate Andy Burnham said today that a failure to address concerns over immigration may have contributed to his party’s General Election defeat. The former health secretary, who earlier highlighted his “ordinary upbringing” as a way to win back disgruntled Labour supporters, claimed the party had been “in denial” about the issue.” – The Evening Standard
“Diane Abbott has stormed into Labour’s leadership race because she thinks the other candidates come from too narrow a circle. It is not hard to see why. Even though one spouse (Yvette Cooper) will no longer be doing battle with another (Ed Balls), we still face the spectacle of two brothers, David and Ed Miliband, competing to take charge of the party and so, potentially, for the chance to be premier.” – The Guardian
“Andy Burnham, one of four former cabinet ministers vying to be the next Labour leader, has announced that he is “proud” to be seen as the candidate who would carry on where Gordon Brown and Tony Blair left off. He defended the most contentious decision of the Blair years, to send British troops to war in Iraq, unlike his rivals, Ed Miliband and Ed Balls, who have distanced themselves from the war.” – The Independent
“NEIL Kinnock is backing Ed Miliband in his battle against his brother David to become the next Labour leader. Former party leader Lord Kinnock said Ed had the electoral “X factor” and “the capacity to inspire people”. But ex-Home Secretary David Blunkett is backing Andy Burnham in his bid for the top job. Former foreign secretary David Miliband is the bookies’ favourite of the six candidates who plan to stand.” – The Sun
King vs. Ken
“The former Labour MP Oona King will announce today her return to frontline politics by declaring that she will challenge Ken Livingstone to become Labour’s candidate for mayor of London in 2012. King will fight Livingstone to become Labour challenger to Boris Johnson. The contest – like the leadership contest – will be decided at the party conference in the autumn.” – The Guardian
Prescott for treasurer
“They say that old soldiers never die, they just fade away – but the former deputy prime minister John Prescott is not even prepared to do that. He will be 72 next birthday, in 10 days’ time, and is expected to be awarded a life peerage in Gordon Brown’s resignation honours list. And yesterday morning, “Prezza” formally launched his campaign to take one of the few jobs in politics that he has not already held: treasurer of the Labour Party.” – The Independent
The deficit must not become the elephant in the room of Labour’s leadership election. Labour needs economic credibility to form the next government. Good candidates should – among other things, obviously – demonstrate that they would provide the leadership necessary for this credibility.
The deficit will define much of the politics of this parliament. The temptation will be great for Labour to duck its tougher questions. This won’t just be because ducking is always a tempting response to tough questions, especially questions as tough as those raised by public spending cuts. Temptation will also derive from a Labour reading of the future that is so optimistic that it risks complacency. On this interpretation, the deficit will require the coalition to do deeply unpopular things and a horrified electorate will therefore rush to the comforting embrace of Labour government on the next occasion that they are offered the chance.
This analysis seems to come recommended by Mervyn King. The Governor of the Bank of England is said to believe that the present parties of government will be forced into such extreme austerity measures as will keep them out of power for a generation. But this thinking has a worryingly “one more heave” characteristic to it. It tends towards a view that simply says: “We told you the Tories and Liberal Democrats were horrible and they are now being horrible. Come home to Labour.” (more…)
As I watched the results come in on Election Day, I knew from quite early on that Labour was heading for defeat. Given the poor performance of the Liberal Democrats, it was also clear that the numbers didn’t add up for a Labour-Liberal alliance; and that sooner or later, David Cameron would take over from Gordon Brown as Prime Minister.
Of course, I would have preferred if Gordon remained Prime Minister. I believe that he was instrumental in saving the world, yes, world, economy from a much deeper recession, or even depression. His actions have been recognised by many foreign governments, but alas, our own electorate did not do so. I am happy that Gordon has decided to remain a backbencher for the time being, but nevertheless the future of our party remains uncertain. (more…)
Ray Collins did two things last week which politicians don’t usually do. First, he expressed an unfashionable view to a difficult audience because he thought it needed saying. Then – once he realised that he’d overdone it – he apologised even though he didn’t have to.
He might reply that he is not a politician. That he is foremost a trade unionist, and that as Labour’s General Secretary he is merely an appointed official; the servant of the party.
In fact, he is a skilfull politician who has wielded an influence as general secretary not seen since Tony Blair wrested it from Larry Whitty and never gave it back. (more…)
Kinnock and The People back Ed Miliband
“Conventional wisdom holds that David Miliband, the former foreign secretary, is the favourite. But Kinnock’s intervention may change all that. He is convinced that it is David’s younger, less well known brother, Ed, who has the “special qualities” needed to inspire party and country.” – The Observer
“Former Labour leader Lord Kinnock came out in support of Ed Miliband in the race to succeed Gordon Brown. In an interview with The Observer, Lord Kinnock said that he believed that the former energy secretary had the qualities needed to bring voters back to Labour. “I would say he has got the X-factor, especially where X is the sign you put on the voting slip at election time,” he said.” – The Mail on Sunday
“TODAY The People announces its support for Ed Miliband as Labour’s next leader. We do so because the defeated and exhausted Labour Party desperately needs new blood at the top if it is to become an effective opposition. We do so because Mr Miliband the younger is untainted by the grievous errors of the past, particularly the unjustified invasion of Iraq.” – The People
Blunkett backs Burnham
“Mr Blunkett is understood to think that the other leading candidates – David and Ed Miliband and Ed Balls – are too 
obsessed with working out why Labour lost middle class voters. Last night he said: “It is absolutely crucial that we fight the next election and the one after that – not refight the 2005 and 2010 elections, which is always a danger in contests of this sort. “I’m also extremely keen that there should be the widest possible field and that this should include candidates with a vision of the future. “That’s why I’ve indicated that I’m prepared to nominate Andy Burnham, to widen the field and to provide a genuine debate which reflects the different elements not just of the Labour Party but, more crucially, of the electorate on which we will be reliant for a return to office.” – News of the World
Brotherly love
“The battle between the Milibands for the Labour leadership threatened to turn nasty last night as supporters of Ed, the younger brother, were accused of smearing David as an “android”. The Sunday Times has learnt that MPs acting for Ed Miliband have rung activists urging them not to back his brother as he lacks the “human touch”. “They are saying David is too geeky,” said one MP. In at least one instance a supporter of Ed Miliband claimed that David behaved like a “robotic android”.” – The Telegraph
Iraq haunts leadership battle
“David Miliband clashed yesterday with his brother Ed over the decision to invade Iraq… as they fought it out for the Labour leadership. Ed Miliband and rival candidate Ed Balls both criticised the 2003 assault on Saddam Hussein yesterday in the six-way battle for the top job. Mr Balls said the invasion had been a “mistake” for which Britain had paid a heavy price, while Ed Miliband said that it had resulted in a “catastrophic loss of trust” for Labour.” – The Sunday Mirror
David Miliband defends position on Iraq – ITN
“Ed Balls and Ed Miliband, both former aides of Gordon Brown, identified the Tony Blair-led war in Iraq as a mistake that led to a loss of trust. Meanwhile David Miliband, the front-runner and former foreign secretary, begged his party not to make Iraq a main issue and instead to focus on the future. His plea for old wounds not to be re-opened was backed by the former health secretary, Andy Burnham, who said he believed Iraq would not become an issue in the leadership contest.” – The Herald
“David Miliband attempted to shift the focus of the Labour leadership debate away from the Iraq conflict yesterday, after two of his main rivals criticised the decision to go to war in 2003.The former foreign secretary, who supported Tony Blair over the hugely controversial invasion, claimed that it was “time to move on” from the war, amid concerns that it would become a divisive issue during the leadership campaign.” – The Independent on Sunday
“The former foreign secretary admitted that the 2003 conflict had been a divisive issue within Labour in the past, but claimed it did not need to be a “source of division in the future”. He spoke out after two of his rivals in the race to succeed Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and Ed Balls, both spoke out firmly against the war. Mr Balls, the former schools secretary, told The Daily Telegraph that the invasion had been a “mistake” for which Britain paid a heavy price while Ed Miliband, the former climate change secretary, said it had resulted in a “catastrophic loss of trust” for Labour.” – The Sunday Telegraph
Queens Speech leaked
“A late draft of the Queen’s Speech, obtained by this newspaper, reveals that the Government will spell out an ambitious programme of at least 21 Bills to be introduced in the next 18 months. Within days, the coalition Government intends to bring in key school reforms and scrap plans for ID cards. A radical programme of political reform will get under way in the following weeks. The speech has “freedom, fairness and responsibility” as its main themes and contains many key policies demanded by the Liberal Democrats as the price for their entry into the coalition government.” – The Sunday Telegraph
Read David Miliband’s speech to Prospect 2010
