The Labour leadership election
Ballot papers have now been issued for the election of a new leader of the Labour Party, the first such exercise since 1994. As an individual member of the Party for 41 years, I have a vote and I have now exercised it.
After three months of campaigning by the five candidates, I have decided to sustain the judgement I exercised in this posting at the start of the election process.
I have thought hard and long about the relative merits of the two Miliband brothers whose political differences are probably not as great as they have had to portray for the purpose of the election and I hope that all the campaigning has not damaged both their personal and political relationships.
If I thought – as I did for a few days after the General Election in June – that the next General Election would be soon, I would back David Miliband as leader since he is best equipped to be Prime Minister just now. In any event, I would be happy to see him as Labour leader and believe that he would make a very competent PM.
However, mu judgement is that the next General Election will not be held for some – maybe five -years and, in those circumstances I feel able to support a candidate who will represent a sharper break from those aspects of New Labour which have moved too far from the fairer, more egalitarian society that I wish to see for Britain.
So I’ve voted for Ed Miliband and, when the election comes, I feel that – if elected – he will have matured into the role of Labour leader and be ready to enter No 10. In the meanwhile, I feel that he is the more radical thinker and the better communicator.
I’ve given David Miliband my second preference vote and Ed Balls my third, with Andy Burnham fourth and Diane Abbott fifth.
We’ll know the result on 25 September.