Any Labour members care to start a discussion regarding the leadership election?

Finally my papers arrived: I have never looked forward to a piece of direct mail before.

I went for
1:DM
2:EB

Oona for Mayor (but would be happy enough with the lovely Ken who will probably romp home).

And then I picked women.

Membership and union ballot paper(s) here at last. Thanks to all for advice.

Will vote
1, AB
2, EM (based on today;s Guardian, this is the vote which will count most and this is despite his picture in the ballot booklet which is awful)
3, EB

Bucharest this is my fear re DM. Also his supporters come across as cult members. I find it a bit moonieish and scarey. He seems less grounded than his brother and could take the party in very odd directions. BTW did anyone see the Private Eye spoof conversation between the Millibands. Hilarious.

Now for NEC ballot. I think Ann Black rocks and will vote for her and Ken. Luke Akehurst's statement was impressive and he is pro-union link. Who else?

Don't know many of NPF candidates apart from Alun Or- Bach whom I have seen in action at NPF and was impressed by. Will vote for him.

I went to a Q&A with Oona last week and thought she was marvelous. Very together, very detailed on how policy impacts lives and very strong I thought on pushing her legislative record and ability to lead.

Yes mrsdennis that's the impression I get from Oona. A shame as I think a woman mayor would be good.

Bucharest that's how I feel about DM! Mrs D I guess you should put DM as your last preference. I think realistically only the first and 2nd preferences will count for much.

Votematch thingummy has me voting Ed Miliband which is good as that's who I will be voting for.

I shall be voting

1. EM
2. AB
3. DM
4. EB
5. DA

I don't dislike DM but have inner horror that he will turn into Tony Blair if we let him loose.

I think Andy Burnham is very impressive, really liked him on the Sky debate this morning.

I like the Miliband brothers less and less every time I hear them speak. I have my papers but am not sure how to vote, would also be interested to know how best to vote against DM.

No papers yet!Am voting Ken for Mayor. I think Oona comes across as a bit of a ditz. Leaflet looks great but contains nothing of substance. She has never been a councillor or minister and has zilch experience of running anything. Met her once and she was shockingly rude and self -important - I work in a political field and come across many politicos - but she was "special".

Cant decide who to vote for for leader. Know and like Andy Burnham so feel a little obliged to vote for him for reasons of sentiment. Not thought through tactics of voting. If I want my vote mainily to be an anti- DM vote, how should I cast it? How will the preferences work?Advice please.

I've not had my ballot papers yet. Still undecided. Heart says EM, head says DM.
I will get a vote for London Mayor too - anyone any thoughts?

Got mine yesterday

1.DM
2.EM
3.AB
4.DA
5.EB

received my ballot papers yesterday.

1.DM
2.EB
3.EM

Not had my ballot paper(s) yet! Are they being sent out in batches?

So, who has voted? And for whom if you're prepared to divulge?

I am still quite undecided. Votematch has me as a 70% match with Diane Abbott with Ed M in second place.

wonder if Ed Balls would enthusiastically serve in DM's cabinet.

thanks gingercat and MarionCole - I did think it was probably a load of rubbish (or just trying to find something interesting to write as let's face it a lot of people aren't really interested in the minutiae of labour leadership hustings).

I also think that having worked their arses off at both national/ Govt and local/MP level for the election (and for some of them their cabinet posts for years before that, pretty relentless), then having to get almost straight into months of leadership campaiging they must all be knackered, bored and desperate for a holiday.

Belle As MarionCole suggested as well the candidates have spent all their time together lately. They all seem to be getting along fine. I read the article in The Times as well, as I can never resist a bit of gossip. The bit about how DM and EB always raise their eyebrows at EM's speech was particularly risible. They are like a troupe knowing each other's lines. While the others were talking they all relaxed / had a bit of a daydream. They must be bored out of their minds listening to each other and themselves.

Just to leap from nowhere into this thread (v interesting!) - just wondering if anyone who's been to the hustings noticed tension / animosity between Miliband D and Miliband E?

Big piece in today's Times saying that the leadership contest is having a very negative effect on their relationship as brothers and on their family as a whole. In particular that DM is doing a bit of patronising big-brother eye-rolling when EM speaks. Could just be a load of old journo-bollox of course, so wondering what others think?

Also interesting that EM has got the support of the unions. I think that speaks volumes.

I am still confused.

The only advantage of AV, it seemed to me, was to eliminate tactical voting - it allowed you to vote your true preferences.

Now you are all saying tactical voting is still possible under AV?

Can I hijack a bit? I'm going to some hustings in early Sept, and may have the opportunity to ask a question. I want to ask about Graduate Tax - I don't really understand why all the candidates bar DM (ironically my least preferred candidate until now) are in favour of the proposals.

I don't believe the Universities would necessarily benefit from the increased revenue - as this article says, there is history of issues with hypothecated taxes not reaching the destination. Graduates could conceivably repay well in excess of the actual cost of their degree, and I'm also worried about the brain drain that might result from a Graduate Tax - those who can will study and work elsewhere. And effectively graduates who earn above the average wage by whatever amount effectively pay a premium already, via the existing higher tax thresholds.

How can I make this into a short, pithy question?

I want a re-open nominations option as my third choice as there are people I don't want in and I don't just not want to list the others. Don't know if that makes sense. (Actually there may be that option-have yet to check!)We had RON as an option at an NUS conference I once went to and it was good as it gave you the chance to show that you really didn't like certain people.

There are a couple of people I don't like at all and it may be a flawed premise but often it seems that the choices are "best of a bad lot" these days. With leadership contests you have to choose from existing MPs and our national voting system means that good people don't necessarily get to Parliament in the first place.

So say your true order of preference was:

Diane Abbott
Ed Miliband
Andy Burnham
Ed Balls
David Miliband

but you were more concerned with voting anti-DM than pro-any other - (a flawed premise, in my opinion, but anyway).

I can't think of a scenario under the AV voting system where voting your true preferences could let David Miliband in - but maybe I just don't understand?