Not just the candidates, but their children
“The question had related to the lack of women in the upper echelons of the Labour Party and glanced towards Yvette Cooper’s decision not to 
stand against her husband, Ed Balls. But the discussion soon turned – how could it not? – to the difficulty of combining a senior role in politics with babies. It was as though the playpen gate had been thrown open. The four men positively fell over each other to vaunt their infatuation with their offspring.” – The Independent
“Other critics – many within the Labour’s own ranks – believe the situation is evidence that the party has failed to foster a belief amongst its female MPs that promotion to the highest offices is a realistic prospect, and also that the party remains stifled by an anachronistic culture of paternalism.” – Political Promise
“Under the Tories, the poorest will end up paying the price of the mistakes of the richest. We should not be afraid of the mansion tax on £2m houses or extending the bankers’ bonus tax, rather than charging the poorest with VAT rises. And the idea of taking money from the poorest children while continuing to subsidise private schools is just wrong”. – The Guardian
“I believe it would be economic madness for Osborne to go ahead with deflationary spending cuts and the VAT hike that his advisers have been whispering about to the newspapers. I fear this “unemployment budget” will set back the economic recovery and put jobs at risk.” – The Guardian
Has the race left London?
“I’d make a break with the London- centric nature of our politics. I regret to say our party has run itself in too top-down a way from London.” – Western Mail
“Ed Balls finally launched his campaign website today in his email to the 80,000-strong Labour Party email list. Every candidate is entitled to send one email to the party’s list. David Miliband sent his first, last Wednesday, followed by Ed Miliband on Thursday and Andy Burnham last Friday.” – Labour List
The Real Manifesto
Ed Miliband had a different 'vision' for the Labour Party Manifesto
“This was confusing to some at the time. But now, discussing this with a source who knows Ed, an interesting mini-revelation comes to light. The source says that Ed had much bigger plans for the manifesto, “and a very clear and thought through idea of what it should be”, back at the time of what could be called the HobNob meeting. But, the source — who is not anti Gordon Brown — says that the former climate change secretary was “blocked” by the then prime minister and what he called a “culture” against ideas and debate within the Cabinet. “Ed’s radical ideas were partly blocked by a timid Gordon, and partly by secretaries of state. The manifesto would have been very different — and more along the lines of Ed’s campaign now [including on the 50p tax], if Ed had had free reign.”” – The New Statesman
Tags: Ed Balls, Labour, Miliband, Osborne, Yvette Cooper
