How I have voted in the Labour Party elections
Today I received my ballot paper as a fully paid up member of the Labour Party for 46 years. Since I know some of you will be interested, this is how I voted (online) in the three most important elections (I’m assuming you’re not so interested in the elections for the Conference Arrangements Committee and Regional Representatives on the National Policy Forum):
Leader of the Labour Party
- Andy Burnham
- Yvette Cooper
- Liz Kendall
- Jeremy Corbyn
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
- Stella Creasy
- Tom Watson
- Caroline Flint
- Ben Bradshaw
- Angela Eagle
Labour candidate for London Mayor
- Tessa Jowell
- Sadiq Khan
- David Lammy
- Gareth Thomas
- Christian Wolmar
- Diane Abbott
Obviously policy matters, but all the candidates have a lot more work to do to flesh out a comprehensive range of policies that will be relevant at the time of the General Election and anyway I believe that policy should emanate from the National Policy Forum and not simply from an individual.
For me, at least as important as policy is experience of running a government department, demonstration of political leadership, and credibility with the wider electorate. You see, to reshape our society into one that is fairer and more prosperous, Labour has to win power first and I am backing those who I think are most likely to do that.
As it happens, I think that Andy Burnham and Stella Creasy would make a great team with complementary skills and appeal: man and woman, middle-aged and younger, Northern MP and London MP, experienced Minister and new campaigner. Both are exceptionally bright and thoughtful, both are open to new ideas, both speak ‘normal’ and connect with voters.
I’m not at all sure that Andy Burnham and Stella Creasy will actually win the internal elections (I think Tessa Jowell will), but they have my votes.