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Unions spend half a million on 'Red Miliband': 8 in the morning, September 9th

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk * The Sun reports on the level of union spending on Ed Miliband - although they have included the cost of posting ballot papers... * Gender equality plan shelved, as PLP votes to retain say over shadow cabinet. * Iain Martin in the WSJ says that shadow cabinet elections will "reintroduce an element of fun". * A North-South divide is emerging in shop closures. * Left Foot Forward on a London version of the "Tea...
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Ed Miliband 'appeals to Labour's lost voters': 8 in the morning - September 8th

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk * Ed Miliband appeals to Labour's lost voters, says pollster Deborah Mattinson. * Ed Balls says he wants to escape the "manipulated view" of what he has done in the past. * Today the party votes on the system that will choose the next shadow cabinet. * The party will also consider proposals to reserve a proportion of the cabinet for women. * Arch-conservative Simon Heffer says Labour must eat humble pie. * TUC head...
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Poll to poll

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk Yesterday, both David and Ed Miliband released YouGov polls. The data from both of these polls was presented in a way that was designed to make you agree with the essential premises behind their campaigns. David's poll, released first, suggests that that David Miliband is the choice of voters to be Labour’s next Leader. His campaign team go as far as to say he is the "overwhelming" choice. Now of course this sits very well...
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Graduate Tax: This is not a good time to be young

By Sean Ruston With deep cuts expected to Higher Education, huge numbers of school leavers missing out on university places, and record youth unemployment this is not a good time to be young. Having just graduated from University myself, and with lots of friends struggling to find work at a time when there are reportedly up to 70 graduates for every graduate job, I know that students are angry with talk of higher tuition fees; that would add insult to...
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We are comfortable with open debate again

By Lisa Nandy / @lisanandy At long last voting has started in the Labour Leadership contest with ballot papers sent out on Wednesday. I took part in a radio panel programme on the day but the discussion was overshadowed by the publication of Tony Blair’s diaries. So, we spent an hour talking about whether politicians a) lie b) drink too much c) fiddle their expenses or d) all of the above.   I thought they might want to focus on...
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Compass backs Ed Miliband

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk Compass have today announced that they will be supporting Ed Miliband in the Labour leadership contest following a ballot of their members. Ed Miliband received over 50% of the votes polled, and over twice the number received by Diane Abbott, who came in second place. The results are as follows: Ed Miliband : 342 Diane Abbott: 117 David Miliband: 77 Andy Burnham: 24 Ed Balls: 20 While it is not exactly surprising that Compass, like Tribune...
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Tribune endorses Ed Miliband

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk Tribune magazine have today endorsed Ed Miliband as the race for the Labour leadership heads into its final stages. However what is perhaps most interesting about their endorsement is how little it focuses on Ed, and how much time is dedicated to criticism of David Miliband. In fact, this reads more like an "anti-David" endorsement, than a "pro-Ed" endorsement. "Labour goes nowhere if it does not both learn from its mistakes and rediscover its principled...
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Reviewing academic selection? Justice demands it

By Mike Ion / @MikeIon Ed Miliband is right; the process by which parents can vote on whether to maintain academic selection simply doesn't work. Yes, we need a review: justice demands it. The policy that Miliband wants to review allows selective entry into grammar schools to remain unless a majority of local eligible parents vote for it to change or grammar school governing bodies decide to change their admission policies to admit children of all abilities. To date, no...
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Ed Balls is right about the Miliband soap opera

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk Writing for LabourList last night, Ed Balls used a phrase that may well be taken on by others as we head into the final stages of the leadership contest - "Miliband soap opera". From the outset of this campaign, the media have shown a dogged determination to make this race about the two brothers, putting them at its centre, pivoting the rest of the race (and the other candidates) around the fraternal battle - and...
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Miliband brothers seek to move on

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Peter’s intervention has served to highlight the big choice facing the Labour party

By Sadiq Khan MP / @SadiqKhan Let me say first of all that Peter Mandelson worked tirelessly in the general election, and was a big part of our success in government, on and off, over the past 13 years. We should not let any honest disagreements that we have over this leadership election cloud his important place in Labour’s history. Peter’s intervention has served to highlight the big choice facing the Labour Party in this leadership contest – change versus a...
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Oh brother...

By Laurence Turner / @larry_turner All candidates agree that this contest is about the future, but as we enter September it is hard to shake off the suspicion that our next leader will be decided by the ghost of conferences past. Let me put my cards on the table. I am supporter of David Miliband, because I believe he has the gravitas to lead our party; the depth of policy understanding to genuinely renew Labour in opposition; and the ability to appeal...
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Mandelson: "Why are they defining themselves against New Labour?"

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Sunday, Sunday

By Mark Ferguson / @MarkFergusonUK There's a whole slew of Labour leadership-related article in today's Sunday papers. The most striking thing about them is that the media, at least, now clearly perceive this to be a two-horse race: coverage of Ed Balls, Diane Abbott and Andy Burnham is scarce indeed. Yes, there are two frontrunners now in this leadership election. But the role of the other candidates, as I've written elsewhere, remains crucial, and how their second and third preferences...
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A mandate for change - Ed Miliband's speech

Ed Miliband has given a keynote speech this afternoon in London in which he sets out his stall for why he believes he should be Labour leader. You can now read the full speech below. -- There comes a time in every election when a choice has to be made – and in this Labour leadership election, we are now approaching that time. It’s not a choice between Old Labour or New Labour A core vote or middle England. The...
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"Do we have the courage to change?": The Ed Miliband interview

Ed Miliband is the shadow energy and climate change secretary and a candidate in the Labour leadership election. He met Mark Ferguson in his campaign office on Monday, 23rd August, 2010. Recently you wrote in your Fabian essay that you were concerned about Labour losing D & E (working class and unskilled) voters. What would your main strategy be for winning those voters back? We’ve got to win back voters from across the income range. The figures I produced in...
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Yoosk hustings: Ed Miliband

Yoosk have been collating questions for the leadership candidates over the past few weeks. Ed Miliband is the second candidate to face the Yoosk team, and answers questions on AV, fair treatment for women and his second vote in the leadership contest....
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Over 400 councillors sign Ed Miliband's living wage letter

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk Ed Miliband has been joined by over 400 councillors who have signed his open letter in support of a living wage. Signatories include Cllr Matthew Brown (Preston) who spearheaded Preston becoming a living wage employer, Cllr Matthew Pennycook (Greenwich) the former Head of Campaigns at the Fair Pay Network and Jim McMahon the Leader of Oldham Labour group. Dear Sir, With the coalition government set on jeopardising the anti-poverty gains made under the last government,...
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Dear Lib Dem Voter: 8 in the morning - August 24th

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk * Ed Miliband pledges "once-in-a-generation" realignment of politics in letter to Lib Dem voters. * Neil Kinnock has written for the Mirror, explaining why he's backing Ed Miliband. * Labour has launched a campaign to defend the success of ASBOs. * Clegg tells Cameron that middle class benefits may have to go. * The General Secretary of Welsh Labour is to step down. * David Miliband wins the Edinburgh East primary. * The Tories have...
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Ed Miliband answers questions from LCID

Ed Miliband is the final leadership candidate to answer questions from the Labour Campaign for International Development (LCID). You can find out more about LCID, and sign up for their email updates on their website....
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