All you need to know about the candidates in one place
“On 25 September the result of Labour’s leadership election will be announced at the party’s annual conference in Manchester, but what will this change of management herald for a new New Labour? We invited David Miliband, Ed Balls, Diane Abbott, Andy Burnham and Ed Miliband to talk politics, purse strings and the perfect night’s television.” – The Observer
Daily roundup highlights Liberal meltdown
“Nick Clegg is suffering a fierce public backlash over the coalition’s VAT rise, with almost half of Liberal Democrat supporters saying the tax U-turn makes them more likely to desert the party. A YouGov/Brand Democracy survey, which will alarm already restive Lib Dem MPs, shows 48% of those who voted Lib Dem at the election are now less inclined to back them again as a direct result of the increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20%.” – The Observer
“A senior Lib Dem MP confirmed that a number of disgruntled colleagues had “talked tactics” with Labour opponents over the possibility of at least obstructing key measures, including the increase in the rate of VAT from 17.5 to 20 per cent.” – The Independent
“Chit-chat in the Commons between Labour and LibDem MPs, those on friendly terms, have exchanged post-election polling data. Labour’s constituency and membership polling is being conducted on a scale not usual for this time of year, driven by Labour leadership contest. Figures passed on to LibDem MPs on an anecdotal basis, suggests a rising LibDem crisis, made worse by the Budget, and threatening to deteriorate if promises on tuition fees and voting reform are frozen or kicked into parliamentary long grass.” – The Sunday Herald
“The only thing that might save the coalition would be if the Labour Party follows the road to irrelevance set out by Ed Miliband last week. The younger Miliband seems to be running for the leadership on the basis that, as the minister in charge of drawing up the Labour manifesto, he failed to get into it an unfunded promise of free school meals for all (well, not adults in offices and banks, obviously). And that he will defend winter fuel payments, which are not under threat, in the last ditch alongside St Simon.” – The Independent
“The Labour leadership election has suddenly got serious. What is at stake now is that lost generation. The next party leader will need to not only fly the flag for fairness, not just oppose cuts that hurt the vulnerable, but provide an alternative economic vision that deals with the crisis while never losing sight of the fairer and more prosperous future we want to create.” – David Miliband, The Observer
“Labour leadership contender Diane Abbott was seething after being branded a ‘racist’ and an expenses cheat by political pundit Andrew Neil. Left-winger Ms Abbott was savaged by Mr Neil on his late-night BBC show This Week over her decision to send her son James to the £12,700-a-year City of London School.” – Mail on Sunday
The race moves to the North East
“Speaking in Durham, on the eve of a candidates hustings meeting for party activists in the North-East, Ed Miliband called for the party to rebuild itself based on traditional values, such as equality and fairness. He said: “The Labour Party denied the Tories a majority at the election, but when you only get 29 per cent of the vote you have to face up to the profound fact that people didn’t vote for us and the party needs deep renewal.” – The Northern Echo
“We had a good debate at the hustings in Newcastle this morning, but people across the North East are understandably worried and fearful that the unfair cuts announced by the Tory-Liberal government will hit jobs and growth in this region hard – just as this area suffered under the Tories in the 1980s and early 1990s. And for all of David Cameron and Nick Clegg’s dishonest promises that cuts would be fair and frontline services would be protected, they have done exactly that by cancelling the new North Tees and Hartlepool hospital.” – Ed Balls, Ed Balls for Labour leader
“A piece of North-East political history, where prime ministers have enjoyed a pint and from where speeches have been broadcast around the world, is to close. Trimdon Labour Club, where Tony Blair celebrated his three General Election victories, will shut next month, although the owners of the building will continue as a pub.” – The Northern Echo
Tags: Budget, Future of Labour, Labour leadership, Liberal Democrats, VAT
Dont get too excited, the LD meltdown is so far confined to 2 polls. Lets wait till we see some real votes cast, ie next May. Perhaps the political trends of the last 60 years have gone into reverse & perhaps its a case of journalists getting too much sun.